Darkness Of The Heart
by Liegenschonheit
Summary: Daisuke struggles with mixed emotional reactions to Risa, Riku and Hiwatari Satoshi while Dark tries to resolve his own emotional connections with the past. (DaiHiwatari, DarkKrad, DaiRiku?)
1. Chapter One

Darkness Of The Heart

Chapter One

  


Daisuke yawned and sleepily opened his eyes. And moaned. He had been out all night again, as Dark, thieving and plundering and seducing innocent young maidens and outsmarting the police and all the other things Dark thought was fun. Leaving no time for sleep. Daisuke put his pillow over his face and tried to will himself back into unconsciousness.

"Dai-kun, time for school!" Emiko's voice singsonged as she smilingly came to wake him.

__

She's pretty cheerful, at least she got a good night's sleep Daisuke grumbled to himself _No one seems to care that I have to go to school in the morning, and Dark always runs around all night long._

Feeling sorry for ourselves, Dai-kun? Dark cut in, sounding smug, _You could always sleep while you're me, you know. I sleep while you endure the tedium of school. _

Yeah, right. Daisuke shot back testily, _Like I can sleep while you're out risking our lives._

Might make a nice change Dark remarked, yawning soundlessly _Instead of you screaming like a scared girl all night long._

Daisuke felt his cheeks redden at that, and growled silently to himself. Before he could think of anything cutting to come back at Dark with, the Phantom Thief had dozed off.

__

Bastard.

Somehow Daisuke managed to stumble out of bed, get dressed and eat breakfast, all while still half asleep. Mumbling a goodbye to his mother, who cheerfully reminded him to be home early because she'd sent out another warning note, Daisuke picked up his school bag and went off to wait for the train. 

The wind was cold this morning, and Daisuke pulled his collar up to protect his ears, keeping his head down to protect his face as much as possible. _Stupid Dark_, he mumbled to himself_, Stupid DNA. Stupid family secret. Stupid-_

Daisuke was still ranting to himself when he ran into something soft and had to struggle to retain balance. Unfortunately, his hands were still in his pockets and somehow his feet became entangled and he fell to the ground, along with the soft thing he'd run into.

Soft person, actually. Daisuke's embarrassment doubled as he realized the person he's so blithely plowed over was none other than Harada Risa, the girl who triggered his change into Dark because she was the first girl he'd had a romantic interest in. 

"Niwa-kun?" She sounded startled, brushing hair out of her big, dark eyes. 

Daisuke realized that he was close enough to kiss her now, which made red colour rise into his cheeks. He also realized that he had fallen so that he was lying nearly in between her legs, which made his blush deepen. He felt like he was going to throw up. _Don't turn into Dark, Don't turn into Dark…_He felt dizzy and was sure he was going to start transforming. Then the dizziness stopped. 

"Niwa-kun? Are you ok?" Risa-chan sounded worried now, and put her hand on Daisuke's shoulder.

Daisuke opened his eyes. He hadn't changed into Dark! _What's going on? _

"Uh, yeah. I'm ok." Daisuke belatedly began to scramble to his feet. Bending to help Risa-chan off of the ground, Daisuke suddenly felt renewed embarrassment that overwhelmed his relief. "I'm so sorry Risa-chan! You must think I'm so clumsy…"

Risa smiled brightly at him and brushed off the back of her skirt. "It's ok, Niwa-kun. I'm not hurt."

Boarding the train, Risa settled beside Daisuke and pulled out a box full of something Daisuke was sure were supposed to be cookies. "I made these for you Niwa-kun," she said, holding them out to him, "I want you to try them and tell me if they are good. I want to make some for Dark, but they have to taste good."

Daisuke's stomach churned. He'd been through this before. Risa-chan's food experiments always left his stomach in knots and had him running for the toilet. All of which he could have endured if she were making the food for his sake, but instead he was the guinea pig for Dark. 

Daisuke opened his mouth to refuse, but made the mistake of looking over at her big dark eyes shining hopefully back at him. She was too cute to refuse. Sighing, Daisuke took a cookie and obligingly put it into his mouth. It was going to be a long ride to school.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

  


Finally escaping to the safety of his desk, Daisuke was free of Risa's torture-cookies. His stomach was roiling dangerously and he felt a little queasy. It seemed Risa had forgotten to add the sugar to the cookies and had added twice as much flour. 

__

Like eating dirt cakes, Daisuke thought to himself.

_Really, really old dirt cakes, _Dark added, waking slightly. _And to think, she's putting you through all of this for me._

Sometimes I really hate you, Dark.

"….The Phantom Thief Dark will strike again at eleven o'clock tonight!" Daisuke swung around to find his friend Saehara Takeshi surrounded by a group of giggling girls. "That's right, and I will be there to see it all. I will also be bringing exclusive, brand new photos of Dark in for your enjoyment, for a small fee…"

Daisuke's attention was jerked away from his friend as he felt a soft slender hand cover his own briefly. Snapping his attention to the hand's owner, he met a pair of cerulean blue eyes behind thin wire-framed glasses.

"Something tells me you're not looking foreword to tonight, Niwa-kun," Hiwatari Satoshi said softly, leaning in close to Daisuke's ear. Daisuke felt himself blush furiously red as Hiwatari's hot breath lapped against his neck and ear, and suddenly felt very dizzy. Again.

_Must be Risa-chan's cookies_ Daisuke thought frantically to himself.

_I'm afraid not, _Dark commented grimly, _You'd better keep a hold on yourself if you don't want me to be making a guest appearance._

Wha-? Daisuke could barely breathe as he soaked in the implications of this. _ No way! Not Hiwatari-san! He's a boy, and he wants to put us in prison!_

Again Daisuke felt the cool hand cover his, and squeeze gently this time. Meeting that icy blue gaze for the second time, Daisuke thought he saw something glimmering there, for just a second. Like Hiwatari was struggling with his own internal demons. And a wistful yearning. But only for a moment, then the eyes were hard and cold again, and Hiwatari slipped past him to his own desk.

Daisuke watched as Hiwatari silently cleared all of the unwanted love letters from the desk and dumped them unopened into the garbage can. This was done without cruelty or malice, just detached coldness. Hiwatari had made it plain that although quite a few girls in school had a crush on him, he had no affection toward any of them. The closest thing he had to a friend was Daisuke himself, and even that was dubious. After all, how does one befriend someone who wants to arrest your other self?

_Damn right_, added Dark, _and don't forget it. You almost transformed just now._

Daisuke put his head on his desk. He was very confused and a little scared right now. Risa hadn't made him transform into Dark, even though he was closer to her than he had ever been before, Within kissing distance. Daisuke felt his face turn red as he thought about it, but didn't feel that particular dizziness that suggested transformation. Hiwatari on the other hand…

Just thinking about the soft hand over his and those sad blue eyes…

Dizziness hit him like a wave. Daisuke groaned very softly. This just couldn't be happening. It made no sense! 

"Niwa Daisuke!" His sensei stood above him. "If you are ill, see the nurse. Otherwise please pay attention."

***

Daisuke lay in the nurse's office with a cold compress on his forehead and stared at the ceiling. Things were getting very complicated and all he wanted to do at the moment was go home and sleep. There was a rustle on the other side of the curtain that divided him from the rest of the room.

"You go in and check on him," Risa whispered loudly enough for Daisuke to hear. 

_At least she cares enough to have someone check in on me,_ Daisuke thought, consoling himself. 

"Me? You're the one who dragged me in here! Why can't you check on him?" The eldest of the Harada twins protested. Daisuke somehow wasn't surprised. Risa seemed to try to get Riku to do the things she didn't want to do.

"I can't! I'm the one who poisoned him with my cooking!" Risa seemed genuinely distressed, and that made Daisuke feel a little bit better. 

After a moment of silence, Daisuke heard Riku sigh. "Fine."

A moment later, the curtain was moved aside, and Riku stepped through. Aside from the fact that her hair was cut in a shorter style than her sister, the twins were identical. Somehow though, those large dark doe eyes didn't make him nervous when Riku had them. 

"Hello, Niwa-kun," Riku said with a shy smile. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah," Daisuke said, sitting up and taking the wet cloth from his forehead. "You can tell Risa-chan that her cookies didn't make me sick, I was already feeling bad. I have a weak stomach."

Riku hesitated for a moment, then reached forward to take his hand. "She really does care about you, Dai-kun," she said softly, "She's just –"

"Obsessed with Dark. Like everyone else," Daisuke cut in, sounding a little more bitter than he had intended.

_Dai-kun? Since when does Harada-san call me that?_ He thought to himself. To his surprise, Dark had nothing to say on the subject. 

"Dark!" Riku clenched her firsts in anger. "Dark is just playing with Risa-chan, and she thinks he's in love with her! That rotten, thieving, criminal—I hate Dark!"

Daisuke blinked at her outburst, and was suddenly aware he was staring. The compress had slipped from his hand and hit the floor with a wet squish. Riku's eyes swept up to meet his, and her posture changed. Fists uncurling, her shoulders eased and the angry tension holding her body rigid faded.

"I'm sorry Dai-kun. You're not feeling well and I'm upsetting you." She looked remorseful and had even leaned forward to curl her hand over his shoulder. 

"Uh…It's ok Harada-san. I'm just tired." He tried smiling to show her he really was fine. 

"Harada-san," Riku echoed, a strange sad look on her face, "You call my sister Risa-chan."

Daisuke was perplexed. Riku was behaving strangely, not at all like her usual outgoing self. _What does Risa-chan have to do with what I call Harada-san?_

Everything, you idiot. You really are blind sometimes. Dark had finally surfaced, and wasn't helping to shed any light on the subject. 

Daisuke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This day was getting more and more strange by the minute, and he wasn't sure he could take any more. When he opened his eyes he was surprised to find Riku's face only inches from his own, dark eyes staring intently at him.

"Geh!" Daisuke squawked and tried to jump backwards, but instead ended up falling back onto the cot. Pushing himself up onto his elbows, he hazarded a look at Riku. She was sitting bolt upright now, the fingers of one hand pressed against her mouth, face flushed. When she caught Daisuke looking at her she ducked her head and glanced away.

"I really have to go now, Niwa-kun," she said, scrambling to her feet and snatching up her school bag, "I'll be late for practice!"

Daisuke stared after her, aghast, as she pushed through the curtains and practically ran out the door.

__

What was that all about? He thought, running a hand through his spiky hair.

__

You have a lot to learn about girls, Dai-kun, Dark intoned, _a LOT._

I suppose you have all the answers then? Daisuke was getting very tired of Dark's superior attitude. _ Care to enlighten me?_

Somehow he wasn't surprised when Dark failed to reply.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

  


Arriving home after school that evening, Daisuke wasn't surprised to find Emiko waiting for him. 

"Well?" She demanded, taking hold of Daisuke's face and turning it from side to side, examining it. "What's the matter? Why are you sick?"

"I'm fine, mom," Daisuke said, extracting himself from her grip. "I'm just really tired."

__

And I could have kissed Risa-chan today, but didn't, and even though I was really close to her I didn't change. Being next to Hiwatari-san nearly made me change though, and all because he breathed on me. Oh, and then Riku freaked out on me… Daisuke thought of all the things that really were the matter.

__

I wouldn't tell Emiko those things if I were you, Dark laughed. _She might get the wrong idea about her Dai-kun. _

Emiko's face had softened, and she sighed. "Well then, Dai-kun, why don't you go get some rest before tonight? I know being Dark is hard on you."

Daisuke blinked. _Did she really just say that?_

Daisuke's grandfather gently ruffled his hair. "I of all people know how much of a pain Dark can be. It's been especially hard on you because for some reason the Art Works have been surfacing much more rapidly than they have in the past. You and Dark just have to learn to work together, and things will become much easier."

"Yes," Answered Daisuke, bowing his head.

Grandfather looked deep into Daisuke's eyes for a moment, then gave a token nod. Patting him on the shoulder as he passed, Grandfather walked past Daisuke into the kitchen. Scooping With up off the floor, Daisuke buried his cheek in the little creature's soft white fur and headed to his room to rest up for later. 

***

"P-panties?" Daisuke stuttered, staring at Emiko in horror. "That's what I have to steal?" 

Emiko laughed and ruffled his hair. It seemed to be an annoying family trait. "No, Dai-kun. A girdle. Women used to wear them to appear more slender."

"Someday you will be more interested in women's underwear, Daisuke," Grandfather added, giving him a suggestive wink. Daisuke felt his face redden again, and ducked his chin to hide it. 

"Let me guess," he said, trying to steer the conversation to a safer topic, "The uh—panty-thing is possessed or something, right?"

Emiko clasped her hands and beamed at Daisuke. "You're getting the hang of this so quickly! I just knew you were meant to be The Phantom Thief! The girdle is inhabited by an evil spirit that slowly suffocates a woman to death and then sucks out her soul just as it is escaping. It once belonged to a famous silent screen actress, and is now on display at the Museum. Tonight is your perfect opportunity to steal it."

__

Of course it is Daisuke thought glumly. 

"It's nearly eleven. Are you ready Dai-kun?" Emiko stepped back and critically looked over his outfit one last time. 

Daisuke nodded and scooped With into his knapsack. 

Once out on the roof, Daisuke sighed and looked up into the clear starlight night. The moon was nearly full and lit the streets below him in a soft blue light, turning the ordinary world into a hauntingly mysterious unfamiliar planet. Daisuke's hand itched suddenly to sit here on the roof and sketch the sleeping houses below him, while the wind played with his already messy hair. 

__

No time for that tonight, Dai-kun, Dark thought. Daisuke could feel him stretching, eager for his chance to take over. 

__

Alright already. Gimme a second…. Daisuke fumbled the now dog-eared photo of Risa out of his pocket and angled it so that the moonlight illuminated her smiling face. He felt his heartbeat speed up and his cheeks heat as he gazed at her, taking in her dark eyes and the curve of her cheek. But still, something was wrong.

No dizziness, and definitely no changing into Dark. Daisuke could feel Dark growing more and more impatient. Squinting his eyes, he looked again at the picture. Now, with the moonlight glancing off of it at a different angle, with his eyes slightly unfocused, he could almost see her shining hair cut differently—shorter maybe. Same face, but different. Daisuke felt his stomach tense and his head spin slightly. Dizzy. The world blurred, and he felt like he was about to change…

"Dai-kun? Are you still up there? You're going to be late!" Emiko's voice sailed up at him from below. 

Daisuke's eyes opened in the dark. He was shaking slightly. "I'm going, mom!" he shouted back, annoyed.

__

What the hell is wrong_ with me?_ Daisuke shook his head and squinted again at the picture. This time it was no good.

__

Hurry up Dark thought back, definitely unhappy. _I don't want to wait here all night while you have hormonal problems. Hiwatari-san is waiting to catch me, and if you stand around waiting all night, he will have the advantage. Change into me RIGHT NOW. _

Hiwatari—Daisuke's thoughts skittered across the blue eyes behind gold rimmed glasses, hair falling softly around his face—dizziness knocked him off his feet and he fell to his knees, panting hard. 

"It's about time," Dark remarked wryly, rising from his knees. "Daisuke, you are one sick boy."

***

Infiltrating the Museum was once again embarrassingly easy. The police had the place surrounded, searchlights waving back and forth illuminating the sky above it, but none of this even phased the Phantom Thief. Dark swung carelessly through a window and flipped soundlessly to his feet. He straightened, head angling like a cat to catch any sound that floated his direction. Pushing purple hair out of amber eyes, Dark smiled and stretched luxuriously. Blood was pumping through his veins, and he felt a charge thrill through him. 

__

Nothing like a good rush of adrenaline, Dark thought happily, picking careful steps across the dark museum hallway. 

__

Except maybe a good night's sleep, Daisuke grumbled. 

Dark shrugged. Swaggering slightly, he made his way stealthily down two flights of stairs to the first floor of the museum, lightly sidestepping the crude traps set for him by the police.

__

Amateurs, Dark thought condescendingly. _None of them could ever dream of catching me. The only person who can even come close is—_

Hiwatari-kun Daisuke finished Dark's thought.

__

Hiwatari-kun_? _ Dark echoed, one eyebrow raising.

Daisuke remained silent.

__

Dai-kun, I really do think you should get your brain examined, Dark thought, lithely swinging his body over a railing to drop lightly to the ground ten feet below, _You should reconsider this insane crush you have on Hiwatari-san. _

Crush? Daisuke sputtered _I don't have a _crush_ on Hiwatari-k—I mean Hiwatari-san. _

I don't have any objections based on gender, after all these years nothing the Niwa clan does could shock me, Dark continued as if Daisuke hadn't interrupted, but_ your fixation with the boy who wants to see us rot in prison is a little suicidal._

He only wants YOU to rot in prison, Dark, Daisuke protested, _Besides, he isn't so bad. He is just lonely, living in that cold apartment alone. He may be a genius with a college degree and all that, but he never has time to just be a regular boy._

See? Dark thought, amused. _Dai-kun, you will be our mutual downfall._

Catching his fingertips on the doorframe, Dark brought his knees against his chest and swung over all-but-invisible lasers that crisscrossed the doorway. The prize was just across the room now, a corselette of white satin that gleamed in a slanting ray of moonlight. It was wrapped around the midsection of a dressform, a row of gleaming silver hooks clasping it in place. A rich splash of rainbow coloured embroidered butterflies and flowers adorned the undergarment, disguising the hard boning that held it tightly in place. 

Dark fingered a blue butterfly lightly, remembering the last time he'd seen the girdle. It had been clasped around the waist of a beautiful girl then, with clear blue eyes and bleached hair cut short and permanent waved. She was young and adored, a starlet of cinema with pouting bow lips and precocious mannerisms. He had found her lying on a chaise-longue, her breath coming only in painful little gasps as the corselette slowly squeezed the life out of her. Working quickly to unclasp it, she had sucked in a huge gasp of air as he had pulled the treacherous thing away from her body. Unembarrassed to be seen in only a silk nightgown, she had pulled him close and kissed him with red rouged lips in thanks. He had looked back at her standing, framed in her open window, as he flew away into the night. 

__

Just another life I could have had, Dark thought with a hint of sadness, _Another girl I left behind. _

"Stealing women's underwear. Somehow I am not surprised, Dark," a slightly mocking voice floated out of the darkness very near Dark's shoulder. Wrapped in old memories, Dark hadn't noticed the blue-haired boy's approach.

__

Damn, Dark thought, startled. _Score one point for Hiwatari-san. And yet, I wonder why he warned me instead of sneaking up and slapping a pair of handcuffs around my wrists._

Because he's not as bad as you think, Daisuke replied, _He fights fair._

Fair indeed, Dark snorted to himself, remembering being thrown to the floor and wrestled into submission the first night he had met Hiwatari. Only quick thinking and a little help from With had saved him that night.

"Aren't you going to run?" Hiwatari asked, adjusting his glasses coolly. 

Dark felt a sly smirk twist his lips. Chuckling, he held his ground and crossed his arms. "Actually, I think it is time you and I had a little heart-to heart, Hiwatari-_kun." _Dark's smile was entirely mocking now. 

__

D-dark! Daisuke thought desperately, _What are you doing?_

Sorry Dai-kun. I think Hiwatari-san and I need to be alone for a little while. 

Wha--?

Daisuke felt his consciousness being sucked down a black hole. It was like falling asleep, only faster. _How did you--?_

__

Goodnight Dai-kun.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

  


Hiwatari still stood in the doorway of the small room, effectively blocking off Dark's only escape route from the museum. He leaned casually against the doorframe, a pair of handcuffs dangling from the fingers of his right hand. He watched Dark dispassionately, his icy eyes tracing the Phantom Thief's movements. He was stalking his prey with the patience of a born predator. 

Dark was examining the corset again, running his hands softly over the silken fabric. He caressed the nubby swirls of embroidery and flicked his fingers lightly across the silver hooks. Sliding his hands slowly over the hips of the dress form and up over the tiny tapered waist the girdle created, Dark flicked his eyes upward and met those of Hiwatari. Molten amber fire met razor sharp ice with a jolt, demanding some sort of reaction from it. Any reaction. 

Hiwatari's expression never wavered. The handcuffs in his hand clinked together lightly from some slight movement of his wrist, the only sound in the silent room. Obviously he had decided against attacking Dark physically and was waiting for him to make his move. 

_This is new,_ Dark mused,_ I wonder what sort of little trap his ingenious brain dreamed up for me tonight_. Dark felt his lips curl up into a self satistfied smirk. If nothing else, Hiwatari added spice to an otherwise dull game. 

Dark cast his eyes back at the corset. The dressform stood between himself and Hiwatari, and Dark rested his cheek lightly against it's shoulder. Slipping his arms around the waist of the manequin, his fingers found the row of silver hooks for the third time. Lightly stroking his fingers up and down the busk of the corselette, he smiled at Hiwatari. This smile was warm and oddly sensual, full lips curving invitingly. 

Hiwatari's eyebrow raised. 

"Have you ever held a woman, Hiwatari-kun?" Dark's voice filled the void between them warmly, without any suggestion of mockery. "The smell of her perfume, the softness of her hair across your face, the caress of her silky skin against yours?" 

_Pop._ A flick of Dark's finger had opened the bottom hook in the shining row. 

Dark's smile curved a bit more as he gazed at Hiwatari."Of course you haven't. You're too young for that, aren't you?" 

Another pop, a second hook undone. 

Hiwatari shifted uncomfortably against the doorframe, pushing himself into a completely upright position. The fingers around the handcuffs tightened, and his eyes narrowed bethind the wire frames. "I think you've had more than enough experience for the both of us, Dark," He said softly, the coolness of his voice accentuating the distain in his voice. 

Dark refused to take the bait. Instead, his pink tongue flicked out like a cat's to moisten his lips. "Aren't you lonely, Hiwatari-kun?" 

An uncertain waver in Hiwatari's eyes was the only indication that Dark had hit the mark. 

"Alone in that cold appartment of yours, misunderstood by your schoolmates, no friends to confide in. Even alone in your pursuit of me," Dark's voice was soft but relentless. Hiwatari had taken a half step backward, one arm comming up across his chest as if to protect him from Dark's words. 

"I am not alone," Hiwatari spat back, eyes narrowed to slits, "I am never alone, you of all people know that." 

Dark broke his gaze long enough to flick open the remaining hooks on the girdle. Knowing smile playing across his lips, he swept his eyes back up to pin Hiwatari where he stood, blue hair falling into his eyes. 

"But," Dark said silkenly,"no one to hold you. No one to keep you warm. No one to protect you from_ him_." 

Hiwatari made a noise in his throat strangely simmilar to a growl and half-doubled over. "No--" He whispered to himself, then slightly louder, "No!" 

Taking advantage of the boy's momentary lapse in concentration, Dark peeled the corset from the dressform and slid it into his pack. Next to his hand, something warm and fuzzy stirred restlessly. With was anxious, feeling the rolling waves of tension that Dark had created. Scratching the little creature's head comfortingly, Dark silently promised that they would make their escape soon. Projecting feelings of calm to his tamer, Dark swung the pack over his shoulders. 

"You don't want to be alone, Hiwatari-san," Dark said to the panting boy, bending to meet his gaze and using one finger to tilt his head up. Mingled pain and fear reflected clearly in Hiwatari's eyes and he cluched at his midsection like he was going to vomit. "We both know who you want to keep you warm." 

"N--niwa-kun." The words slipped from Hiwatari's lips unexpectedly, and his eyes widened with shock. He hadn't meant to say it at all, but with all of his concentration focused on keeping_ him_ inside, he hadn't been able to help it. 

Dark smiled triumphantly. "Just remember,_ Satoshi-kun_," he said, letting Hiwatari's given name roll off of his tongue like poisoned honey, "Niwa-kun and I are the same. If you hurt me in any way, Daisuke-kun feels it." 

Dark let Hiwatari's head drop. Straightening, he felt With latch onto his shoulders and unfurl himself into a massive jet black wingspan. Hiwatari had dropped to his knees now, his shoulders shaking. 

"No, no, no," he whispered to himself over and over, "I will catch him alone, _I don't need you!_" 

Stepping lightly past the struggling boy, Dark grinned to himself. _Thank you Dai-kun,_ he said to the unconscious boy, _You were very helpful tonight._ Dark felt momentarily guilty, knowing that Daisuke wouldn't have liked how he had handled Hiwatari. _Hiwatari-san should know better by now. He'll never be able to catch me. No one can._

Dark tossed his purple hair from his face with a flip of his head. Walking down the corridor toward the window, Dark never even heard the small click triggered by his passing. He barely had time to register the slight hiss and flash of movement from the wall. 

A nylon net, fine and silver as a spiderweb in the dim light, flung itself at him like mist. Dark had just enough time to brace himself before he was swept off his feet and hung, entangled in the net. 

_Stupid!_ He cursed himself, _So incredibly stupid. Even Dai-kun could have avoided that trap. But I was too busy congradulating myself..._

Dark closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. His own arrogance had been the trap. Hiwatari had planned to let Dark escape him, knowing he'd be cocky enough to fly right into what should have been obvious, never even suspecting a second attack. 

Dark listened intently, trying to sound out Hiwatari's footfalls in the dark. Instead he heard a faint wretched sob. 

"Please," Hiwatari's voice broke, sounding frail and far away, "Please don't hurt me anymore--" 

Dark was definetly glad he had put Daisuke down for the night now. Daisuke would have had them running in to the boy's rescue in a heartbeat. Instead, Dark pulled a long black feather from his wing. Narrowing his concentration to a fine point, he focused on the feather until it began to glow. Faintly at first, then brighter, the feather absorbed his and With's energy until it was fully charged. Slipping one hand carefully free of the net, Dark flung the feather upward with an expert flip of the wrist. 

The feather struck the mechanism holding the net in place and exploded. Covering his eyes against the sudden brightness, Dark felt the net drop and sighed in relief. He wouldn't have had the energy to try again. 

Pushing free of the net, Dark ran to the window and carefully pushed it open, this time wary for more traps. Once he was sure there was nothing nasty awaiting him outside, Dark lept lightly to the windowsill. Spreading his wings to launch into the night sky, Dark glanced behind him. 

Hiwatari lay in the open doorway of the room that had housed the corset. He appeared to be unconscious. 

Dark sprang from the windowsill. 

***

Icy winds buffeted Dark as he swung a lazy loop over the park that surrounded the museum. The night air was frigid, and Dark wondered if Emiko would take offense if he decided to wear a jacket over the outfits she made for him. Of course, they looked fabulous on him, covered in straps and buckles, zippers wherever Emiko found room to slap them on. Still, it was a matter of comfort over style. 

A flash of colour caught Dark's eye from below, and he swooped lower to catch a glimpse of it. 

A girl stood at the edge of the park, shivering, wearing a white sweater and matching blue skirt. Her legs were bare accept for a low pair of socks, and her hair was pulled back to show off her earings. 

Dark chuckled and banked, dropping lightly before the startled girl. The look of shock on her face was transformed into joy as she recognised him. 

"Dark-san!" Risa exclaimed, grasping one of his hands," I knew you would come!" 

Dark smiled at her, oozing charm. He wondered how long he would have to stay with her tonight. This game wasn't nearly as fun without Daisuke around to protest his familiarity with the younger Harada twin. 

"I would never miss an evening with you, Risa-chan," he told her, sweeping her up into his arms. "But it's too cold for a delicate girl like you to be outside." 

Launching himself into the sky with her added weight was much harder, but he still managed it, winging over the sleeping town toward the huge Harada mansion. Risa's arms clasped around his neck and she shivered violently now in the higher alititude. However, she still seemed delighted to be with him, he could feel her breath against his neck as she gasped excitedly. Dark's arms tightened around her warm body, holding her closer as he flew. Flying like this, she could have been any number of women he'd held. Faces flashed through his mind; a blonde with laughing blue eyes tapping his arm with her fan, a breathless girl with freckles and strawberry ringlets astride a brown horse, a slender girl with serious eyes, and even Emiko's own mother-- 

Dark sighed and laid his cheek against Risa's smooth hair. Despite the fact that he had held women in his arms, he was lonely too. Maybe it was the coldness of the night, or how very far away the stars seemed, but suddenly the future seemed very bleak to Dark. He knew it was selfish and unfair of him, but part of him hoped that Daisuke would never find real love. 

Circling carefully, dark angled toward the large semi-circular balcony that the twins' rooms opened onto. Backwinging sharply, Dark dropped nimbly onto the stone and gently lowered Risa. Her arms clung around his neck, and he found himself looking deeply into her dark eyes. She had been so very warm against him, and still tangled in the emotion of his memories, he leaned in toward her soft mouth. He heard her breath catch, and she closed her eyes anticipating his kiss. 

"Risa-chan, is that--Oh!" Riku's eyes went wide with shock as she saw her sister in Dark's embrace. Her face flooded with colour as she remembered--or thought she remembered--something. 

Less than an inch away from Risa's lips, Dark pulled back. Glancing over Risa's shoulder at Riku, who's face was flushed and wore a very strange expression, Dark imagined himself kissing_ her_. 

He _had_ kissed her. Once. 

Gently, he released Risa. Her deep eyes looked back at him, vastly dissapointed. 

"Dark," she said softly, "When will I see you again?" 

Dark jumped backward, off the edge of the balcony. Stroking his wings to stay in place, he smiled at her. "Soon," he replied, then swooped out of sight before she could press him for a more definate answer. 

"Riku-chan," He heard her say plaintively as he stroked away, "He was going to kiss me!" 

***

Slipping into the pitch black Niwa household, Dark was suprised to find Emiko sleeping on the couch, a magazine lying open across her chest. With the softest of touches, Dark smoothed an errant strand of Emiko's hair from her face and slipped the magazine from under her hand. Taking a blanket from the back of another chair, Dark tucked the sleeping woman in like a child then laid a light kiss on her forehead. 

"Goodnight, mother," he whispered to the woman with the face of a young girl. 

As he turned to go, he felt Emiko's hand grasp his sleeve. "Dark," she murmured, half asleep, "Take care of my Dai-kun. Keep him safe." 

"I will, mother," he whispered, rubbing his cheek lightly against the back of her hand, then returning it to her side. She fell back asleep within seconds, and Dark crept from her side toward Daisuke's bedroom. He felt ashamed of his earlier wish for Dai-kun. 


	5. Chapter Five

Daisuke woke just as the sun had climbed through the window and laid it's warm fingers on his cheek. It was far earlier than he usually woke after a night out with Dark, so he snuggled deeper into his covers, luxuriating in the cozy nest of his bed. Yawning sleepily, he stretched his back like a cat and smiled contentedly. 

_Finally, a real night's sleep,_ Daisuke thought, running his fingers through With's soft fur, _maybe I should let Dark make me sleep more often. After all, it's not like anything important happened...Did it?_

Daisuke frowned and sat suddenly upright in bed. With blinked at him with huge eyes, then curled himself back into a fluffy ball cradled in a fold of Daisuke's bedspread. The minutes before Dark had banished him to unconsciousness were replaying in Daisuke's head. The glint of moonlight off of a pair of glasses, narrowing blue eyes and the glitter of handcuffs. A scardonic grin on his counterpart's lips '_Actually, I think it is time you and I had a little heart-to heart, Hiwatari-kun'_. 

_Dark!_ Daisuke shouted silently,_What did you do to Hiwatari-san?_

Dark stirred a little inside the depths of Daisuke's brain. _Me?_ came the sleepy yet obviously feigned innocent reply, I didn't do anything to him. We just had a little talk. 

_Dark, I want to know..._

"Good morning Dai-kun!" Emiko called cheerfully from the doorway, "Good, you're already awake. I made an extra special breakfast this morning, so hurry up and get ready!" 

"Ok, mom," Daisuke replied, then silently _Dark! Tell me._

Dark mumbled something incoherent to himself and with a liquid swirl folded himself away inside Daisuke's head. Daisuke grumbled softly to himself as he climbed out of bed. He obviously wasn't going to get anywhere in questioning Dark this morning. He wasn't exactly a morning person, so maybe he'd have better luck interrogating the Phantom Thief later. Padding across his bedroom floor in bare feet, Daisuke stooped to scoop his school uniform off of the floor where his mother had left it, neatly folded. Dressing quickly, he stopped in the bathroom to give his face a brisk scrub and run a wet comb through his hair, then despair of ever getting his thick red locks to lie flat. Every step down the stairs was heavy with dread as Daisuke imagined Hiwatari waiting for him at school with a pair of handcuffs. 

_Whatever you _said_ to him must have been pretty bad if you wouldn't even let me hear it,_Daisuke thought unhappily to the unresponsive Dark._ You kept talking about me having a crush on him yesterday, so you must have thought--_ Daisuke gasped aloud and felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Dark couldn't have told Hiwatari..._Oh crap! Dark! You didn't _tell him about that, did you? Dark? Dark?! 

Emiko had just finished setting the table as Daikuke entered the room, and she hurredly finished pouring Grandfather's orange juice and rushed over to him, laying a cool hand on his forehead. "Are you _sure_ you're not sick, Dai-kun? You were in the Nurse's office yesterday, and now your face is all flushed. Maybe you have a fever." 

Daisuke shook his head and gently extricated himself from his mother's grip. "I'm fine, mom," he said, sinking into a chair, "I'm just..." 

"Just what, Dai-kun?" His mother prompted, hands on hips. 

"Wow, all this food looks great mom!" Daisuke changed the subject, quickly shoveling food onto his plate. 

"Leave him be, Emiko," Grandfather said, folding his newspaper and looking at Daisuke knowingly over the top of it. "He's probably just blushing because he's been having _thoughts_ about a certain young twin?" Grandfather waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

As Grandfather's implication began to seep in, Daisuke could feel his blush return full force. Of course he hadn't been thinking about Risa! He couldn't even kiss her, let alone immagine himself doing that with her. 

"I wasn't thinking about Risa-chan," Daisuke said a little too loudly, then shoved half of a pancake into his mouth in an attempt to cover it up. 

_Instead you were thinking of Hiwatari-san again,_Dark crowed gloatingly, proving that he had, in fact, been awake, but just ignoring Daisuke. _ At least you haven't been thinking about doing _that_ with _him. 

_Oh God!_ Daisuke choked on his oversized mouthful of food as unintentional images began to swim in his brain. Hiwatari's breath hot on his neck, lips pressing closer... 

Daisuke felt the earth tilt below his chair and frantically tried to keep his balance. _I _really_ hate you, Dark!_

It was a larger hand that gripped the edge of the table and pushed himself upright, and a different face that smiled up at Emiko as she refilled the breakfast glasses. With a conspiratory knowing grin at Daisuke's grandfather, Dark brought a forkful of food to his lips. 

"Your cooking is devine, as always, mother," Dark commented to Emiko, who stood by his chair, still blinking in suprise. 

"Thank you," she said faintly, then shook herself. Looking her unexpected breakfast guest over critically, she pointed at the school uniform he was sporting. "Your clothes seem to be a little small this morning, Dark-san." 

Dark nodded. "I didn't exactly plan on making an appearance, and I won't be staying too long. I wouldn't want Dai-kun to be late for school." 

Dark finished the glass of juice Emiko had placed in front of him, stood up from his chair and bent to kiss her on the cheek. Stepping around her and heading toward the bathroom, Dark attempted to tug the too-short school shirt back into place. 

_Pervert._ He thought at Daisuke, ammused. 

_I--I am not!_Daisuke's thoughts were almost sputtering with indignance. _You were the one who thought of it!_

_Yeah, but _you_ were the one who got all worked up over it. You turned into me, didn't you?_ Dark shook his head reprovingly. _You even imagined yourself "kissing" him. Tell me how that makes _me_ the pervert._

_Just shut up._

Through the bathroom door, Emiko could hear peals of Dark's laughter. Grinning to herself, she shook her head. 

***

The soles of Daisuke's shoes squealed a shrill protest as he ran down the hallway to his classroom. He had less than one minute to be in his desk before class started. Rounding the last corner and pulling into top speed down the final stretch, Daisuke heard the shouts of a hall monitor behind him. Tossing an appology over his shoulder, he came to a skidding halt in front of the door to his classroom. Taking a few seconds to calm his breathing, Daisuke closed his eyes. 

_At least Hiwatari didn't have any time to corner me before class,_ He thought wryly, pulling the door open and glancing at the clock. fifteen seconds. 

Sliding into his chair just as the bell that signaled the beginning of class started to ring, Daisuke heaved a sigh of relief. He made it. Barely. And it really was all Dark's fault, Daisuke would have never had those sort of thoughts on his own, he was certain. Reaching into his bag to pull out his notebook, he braced himself for a cold glower and snuck a glance back at Hiwatari's desk. Though piled with love notes and little wrapped packages of candy and cookies, it was missing an occupant. Daisuke's amber eyes widened. 

_Hiwatari-kun is absent, so he can't interrogate me._ The dread that had plagued Daisuke's steps magically melted away, but was replaced by something nearly as heavy. It felt a lot like dissapointment. 

_Yeah, but he isn't here to kiss you either, Dai-kun,"_ taunted Dark smugly. 

_You're never going to let me live that down, are you? I told you, I don't have a crush on Hiwatari-kun, this morning was just--a mistake because Grandpa mentioned Risa-chan. And anyway, what happened to him? Why isn't he in class?_ Daisuke wished with all his heart that Dark would just tell him what had happened, and then go to sleep and leave him alone, but it seemed unlikely. 

_I told you before, I didn't _do_ anything to him. As touching as your sympathy for Hiwatari-san is, you are forgetting the larger picture. The boy wants to throw us in jail. He shares a body with someone who would like to see us both killed. Understand?_ Dark was tired of reiterating the same points. Maybe all of that hair kept common sense from sinking into Daisuke's head. _Now leave me alone. I'm going to sleep._

Daisuke shook his head slightly in frustration. He felt a tap on his shoulder from behind, and looked up to find the entire class staring at him. Under the sudden intense scrutiny, Daisuke felt his face burst into flame for the third time that day. Looking up, he met the gaze of his sensei. 

"I repeat, Niwa Daisuke, will you please start reading at the top of page thirty-six?" 

"Um, yes sir!" Daisuke climbed to his feet and opened his book. Beginning to read in a small embarrassed voice, he fervently wished the day would end quickly. 

***

Daisuke didn't get his wish. Between a pot boiling over on him in cooking class and somehow letting Saehara talk him into taking his cleaning duty again, Daisuke felt like he'd been through the longest school day in existance. Dragging his feet as he walked outside, he sighed. It was already dusk and Emiko was probably already waiting for him. Slowly beginning his plodding trek to the train station, Daisuke almost didn't see a figure detatch itself from the side of the building and follow after him. 

"Niwa-kun!" Riku called after him, running toward him with her bike beside her. The sun was setting behind her as she ran, setting her reddish hair alight with it's rays and guilding her limbs in golden light. Daisuke felt his mouth drop open as for the first time he registered that she was truly every bit as cute as her twin. 

_Not just cute, Dai-kun,_ Dark interjected,_ She is beautiful._

_Yeah,_ Daisuke agreed, awestruck. 

She jogged toward him, hair fluttering across her face like butterflies and her eyes sparkling prismatically. Then her foot hit a rock. Unexpectedly, she stumbled, bike clattering to the pavement arms grabbing frantically for anything to break her fall. They hit on Daisuke's shoulders and wrapped around his neck as he caught at her waist, breaking her fall. She sagged against him, breathing hard. Suddenly she straightened, eyes wide with shock as she stared into Daisuke's face. Her cheeks flushed cherry and she hastily pulled her arms away and took a step backward. 

The spell that had made her seem so alluring only a moment before was broken, and Daisuke saw her as he always did. Almost, anyway. _She still is really pretty,_ he decided, smiling at her,_but in a different way than Risa-chan, even though they are twins._

"Um, Niwa-kun--Can I walk with you? I wanted to talk to you about something," Riku's face was still red, and she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze. 

"Sure," Daisuke said brightly, retrieving her fallen bicycle,"What is it?" 

Riku claimed her bicycle from Daisuke and took a deep breath. She seemed to have composed herself a bit. "Dark. I think he's going to try to take advantage of Risa." 

Daisuke shook his head emphatically, stepping over a puddle in the sidewalk. "I know you don't like Dark, Harada-san, but he wouldn't do anything _that_ bad." 

Riku looked dubious. "I don't trust him, Niwa-kun. He's just a _thief_!" Her hands were clenched tightly on the handlebars of her bike. "He would do it, he already stole a-- I mean, I just know he would!" She was practically shaking with anger, cheeks burning. Glancing sideways out of the corner of her eye at Daisuke, she added in a softer voice, "Besides, every girl wants her first kiss to be special." 

"I know--" Daisuke began. 

Riku looked sharply at him. "What do you mean, you know? What do you know?" 

"Geh--I mean, I know what you meant," Daisuke said quickly, "I mean, everyone wants their first kiss to be with someone they like a lot, right?" 

"Yeah, the lucky ones," Riku sighed. Her anger seemed to have evaporated. Tucking strands of her short hair behind her ear, she snuck a sideways look at Daisuke, a strange wistful expression on her face. 

_I don't understand girls, _Daisuke decided, trying to wipe the confused expression off of his face, _They're angry one second and then sad the next. And if you say the wrong thing they jump all over you._

_I think you are finally starting to grow up, Dai-kun,_ Dark said commiseratingly, _Thats about as much as you will ever understand about women._

"Niwa-kun, what should I do about Risa-chan?" Riku said finally in a strangely subdued voice, "I don't want her to get hurt." Her eyes were filled with genuine worry. No matter how much they fought and bickered, Daisuke knew that the twins had always loved and looked out for eachother. 

"Well," Daisuke began slowly, thinking about each word before he spoke,"I don't think you can always protect her. Risa-chan has to make her own choices, even if she ends up getting hurt. All you can do is be there to comfort her when she messes up. I mean, she isn't stupid." 

"Well, that's debatable," Riku muttered to herself, then smiled brightly at Daisuke. "You're right. I can't always tell her what to do. Thank you, Niwa-kun!" She leaned foreward across her bike and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. His face flushed scarlet _again_ and before he had a chance to respond she had mounted her bike and was riding away. 

Turning back to him, she waved. "See you tomorrow, Niwa-kun!" she called out. 

"Uh--" Daisuke was still rooted to the same spot. _What was that?_ He thought wonderingly. 

_A kiss, Dai-kun,_ replied Dark, for once not sounding at all ammused. If anything he sounded sullen. _Riku-chan kissed you. But it was only on the cheek, she probably didn't mean anything by it._

_Yeah, it was probably nothing..._ Daisuke shook his head to clear it and continued his walk to the train station, solitary now. Almost. 

Lost in his thoughts, with Dark being uncharacteristically moody, Daisuke plodded along the sidewalk not paying attention to where his feet took him. The route to the train station was ingrained in his subconscious, making it unnecessary for him to think about it. The street was nearly dark now, the shadows mixing with the streetlights in the nightly ritualistic dance of dusk. The first stars were starting to shine, and as Daisuke gazed upward he stopped. He recognised the apartment building he was standing in front of, he had seen Hiwatari entering and leaving it. 

He stood looking upward for a long time, mulling things over in his head. He _wanted_ to be friends with Hiwatari, even if everything Dark said about him was true. There was just something in him underneath the ice and the sullen solitude that Daisuke knew was lonely and sad. No one should have to live that way. Before he had realized he'd made up his mind, Daisuke's hand reached out and pressed the buzzer beside Hiwatari's name. 

_What do you think you're doing?_ Dark said incredulously, _This is suicidal and stupid!_

_I know what I want to do, Dark._ Daisuke replied resolutely, _You'll just have to trust me._


	6. Chapter Six

Daisuke stood on the pavement, staring up at the window of the apartment above him and listening to his heart pound. His palms were sweating and a very large part of him wanted to forget that he had just pressed the buzzer and run away. Maybe Dark was right, maybe this was stupid. Hiwatari had never invited him over, and never gave any indication that Daisuke might be welcome to drop by. He could refuse to see him and leave him standing outside the building like an idiot. 

But behind his frantically beating heart a small chunk of him was certain he was doing the right thing. That even if Hiwatari did refuse him or reject him, that the important thing was that he had tried. And that Hiwatari knew that he had tried. 

_Very sweet, Dai-kun, _ Dark commented scarcastically, _but isn't your general wellfare just a little more important?_

Daisuke ignored him. A few uncertain moments later, the intercom beside the door crackled and spoke. 

"Hello?" The voice was flat and cool, but Daisuke could detect an undercurrent of suprise. 

_Maybe I'm starting to understand him better, _Daisuke thought, happy at the notion. "Um, hello Hiwatari-san. It's Niwa Daisuke. From school." 

There was a long silence broken by the static hiss of the intercom. "I know who you are, Niwa-kun," Hiwatari said finally, ammused. 

Daisuke hung his head. Of course Hiwatari knew who he was. Only an idiot would have said that, and unfortunately, Daisuke seemed to be just such an idiot. He rapidly tried to formulate some excuse to go before he made a bigger fool of himself, but nothing came to mind. _Well, I was walking by and thought I'd press your buzzer. It was nice talking to you, I'll see you in school. I'm such an idiot._

A moment later the door unlocked with a loud click. "Please come in, Niwa-kun," Hiwatari said, voice still chilly but absolutely polite. The intercom crackled for a few seconds longer, as if Hiwatari wanted to say something more, then abruptly fell dead. 

Daisuke took a deep breath and grasped the door handle. _I feel like I'm walking into the lion's den,_ he thought, sliding the door open and stepping inside. 

_You are,_Dark replied, completely serious. 

Daisuke walked up the several flights of stairs slowly, trying to dispell the nervousness that was uncurling in his stomach. His face was sweating lightly, but not from exertion. He was a little afraid. He didn't _think_ Hiwatari would attack him or anything, but still. One usually didn't drop in on their sworn enemies. And besides, Daisuke had no idea what he was going to _say_ to him. 

Finally though, Daisuke ran out of steps. Reluctantly, he released the handrail and wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. He stood staring at the door for a rediculously long time, trying to work up the courage to knock. 

_This is stupid. He already knows I'm here,_ he told himself firmly, then forced his arm into motion to knock on the door. Recieving no immediate response and fearing that Hiwatari hadn't heard his first hesitantly feeble attempts, Daisuke raised his fist to knock again. Magically though, before knuckles could rap on wood, the door swung inward. 

Hiwatari stood, holding the door open, dressed impeccably in black. His button up shirt and slacks were crisply pressed, and Daisuke could see no evidence of lint dusting the fabric. Even his socks were strikingly black, showing no signs of fading or of wear. The rest of his apartment appeared to be just as strikingly immaculate. 

"Come in, Niwa-kun," Hiwatari finally said, after a long moment scrutinizing Daisuke's face. As the smaller boy walked past him into the apartment, Hiwatari discreetly also wiped his palms across his pants. 

Daisuke was frowning. The apartment just didn't feel like the home of a fourteen year old boy. Everything was spotless and completely devoid of any personality, except the living room coffee table, which was covered with piles of photographs and paperwork. There were no dishes waiting to be washed in the sink, the floor had no trace of debris, and there was no mess or clutter anywhere. Daisuke felt his heart sink for Hiwatari. How could anyone be happy in a place like this? 

Hiwatari was momentarily taken aback at the expression of absolute sympathy on Daisuke's face as he looked around the appartment. However, he hid his suprise easily behind the icy mask he always wore. He had learned early on that showing his emotions was a weakness. But at the moment, he could detect to real _weakness_ in the open emotions that swam in Daisuke's eyes. 

"Is there a reason you came, Niwa-kun?" Hiwatari said at length, wondering for a moment what other people did when friends came to their homes. He was sure they didn't just stand in icy discomfiture. 

"Uh, I--I wanted to see if you were all right," Daisuke said hesitantly, then with a momentary burst of inspiration "and to tell you the homework assignments." 

"Thank you," Hiwatari said, taking the profered sheet of paper. Daisuke had written an extra list of assignments, with the fleeting thought of giving to to Hiwatari, but had never expected to actually do so. 

"And, I'm fine," Hiwatari added after a moment. Shooting a sharp glance upward over the top of the paper at Daisuke he said "Do you remember anything I said last night?" 

Daisuke shook his head. "Dark sort of put me to sleep last night, so I don't know anything that happened. Why, what did you say?" 

Hiwatari shruged slightly and looked back at the paper he was holding. "Nothing of importance." Internally, his knees felt almost weak with relief. Daisuke hadn't heard his slip. That could potentially have made things very awkward between them. 

Daisuke had wandered a little further into Hiwatari's apartment, and had caught a glimpse of the bedroom beyond an open door. A pile of twisted blankets cascaded halfway off of the rumpled unmade bed, and books were scattered like fallen leaves across the floor. Daisuke smiled. That was a room that looked _lived in_. 

Daisuke swung back around toward Hiwatari with a dazzlingly bright smile. It was unexpected, and Hiwatari felt his breath catch, for only a moment. But it was enough to make his alter ego awaken and start grumbling menacingly. "I think it would be best if you go now, Niwa-kun. It is getting late, and I have a lot of work to get done." He gestured to the scattering of photos in the living room. Daisuke glanced at them, eyes clouding momentarily when he saw they were photos of Dark during his various exploits. 

_Everything is always about you, isn't it, Dark?_ Daisuke felt his spirit sink. Everyone had some vested interest in Dark. He wondered if there would be anyone left to care if he just faded away and let Dark have his body. Sadly, Daisuke turned to go. 

Hiwatari watched as Daisuke's face fell, his emotions running conflictedly under the placid surface of his calm face. His heart felt slightly bruised, knowing that his abrupt and icy manner had caused Daisuke's sadness, but he also felt a rush of awe, discovering that he could have this large of an impact on Daisuke. He reached out to brush his fingers across Daisuke's, but pulled back after only the lightest physical contact. Angry now, his inner demon was fighting the constraints that Hiwatari had so carefully put around him. 

Daisuke turned toward the door, eyes lowered to avoid Hiwatari's arctic blue ones. He had known it was foolish, but he had wanted _something_. Hiwatari to tell him that he liked him maybe, or wanted to be his friend. Just something. His lowered gaze swept across the sofa, and fell on an open notebook left abandoned, a pencil beside it. And above that, another photgraph. It was one Daisuke recognised, it had been taken by his friend Saehara Takeshi during a class trip. Posing in front of a fountain, hand raised in a peace sign, with a silly smile on his face was Daisuke himself. 

_Why would Hiwatari have that?_ Daisuke wondered, mouth slightly open in suprise. Then his mouth firmed with new resolve. Hiwatari may not realize it yet, but he _needed_ someone to care about him. Daisuke's hand shot out and grasped Hiwatari's slender wrist tightly. Raising his head, he met Hiwatari's ice cold eyes unflinchingly. 

"I am going to be your friend, Hiwatari-kun," He said firmly, emphasizing the _kun_ slightly, "because you need me to be. You need someone to care about you. No one can live alone." 

Hiwatari's eyes narrowed to slits, and his breath hissed out like a cat's as Daisuke spoke. His insides were a roiling turmoil of rage fighting to be set free. With as much willpower he could muster, Hiwatari clamped down on it. _Mine,_ the golden voice growled, _mine. You are mine._

Daisuke's grip tightened on Hiwatari's wrist, his eyes never wavering. Of all people, he understood what was happening inside of Hiwatari. Gasping, Hiwatari tried to wrench his arm away. "Leave me alone! I told you we could never be friends!" His voice was ragged with pain and fear. 

_You can't keep me locked inside. You don't have the strength._ The voice echoed in Hiwatari's head, _I will kill him. For taking my other self. For trying to steal you._

"No," Hiwatari's voice was filled with strain, "Leave me alone. I hate you." 

Instead of releasing the suffering boy, Daisuke pulled hard on his wrist instead, sending him stumbling into his arms. Wrapping his arms around Hiwatari, Daisuke held tightly onto him as he trembled. Resisting violently at first, Hiwatari's glasses were knocked away, and Daisuke could detecta faint gold cast overlaying the deep blue of his eyes. Refusing to let go, Daisuke gripped tightly enough to Hiwatari to leave black and blue marks were his fingers sunk into the pale flesh. Finally with a gasping sob, Hiwatari sunk into Daisuke's embrace, wrapping his own arms around the smaller boy's waist and gripping tightly in return. 

"Hurts--" Hiwatari breathed between clenched teeth, "It hurts." 

"I know," Daisuke whispered gently, trying to soothe his friend. Another spasm rocked Hiwatari's slender frame as his hair began to lighten to a pale gold, then darken back to it's blue shade. The tremor had knocked both of them to the floor, Daisuke still refusing to let go of Hiwatari. 

Cradling Hiwatari's sprawled form, Daisuke gently wiped away the tears on his cheeks, like a mother with a hurt child. Hiwatari gasped and pulled away as if burned, then grasped the collar of Daisuke's shirt in one fist. 

"I won't let him win," He gritted out, searching Daisuke's face with his eyes. Shifting his weight slightly, Hiwatari slid his other arm tightly around Daisuke's neck. He stared intently into Daisuke's wide amber eyes, gathering strength from them. 

_Stop fighting me!_ The golden voice was howling with rage now, _ I will make you watch as I tear him apart--_

Hiwatari ignored the voice, and ignored the pain. Focusing all of his thoughts on Daisuke's eyes, he somehow gathered enough willpower to throw the raging demon back into it's hole. As he sealed it in, triumph soared in Hiwatari's veins. He couldn't keep it sealed forever, and he knew he would be punished later, but it had been worth it. 

With the last of his strength, Hiwatari pulled himself foreward and pressed his lips to Daisuke's. The smaller boy stiffened in shock, but Hiwatari wound his arms tighter around him. He was so cold, and Daisuke felt heavenly warm against him. Heat seemed to flow into his body through those lips, and Hiwatari's trembling lessened, and then ceased. 

Daisuke was the one shaking now. He had held on to Hiwatari for dear life, knowing that he was battling with Krad, the angelically beautiful but psychotically insane counterpart to Dark that lived inside of him. Daisuke had known that Hiwatari couldn't hold back Krad on his own, but had thought that with someone to hold him and help him, maybe he could. Daisuke's lips burned against Hiwatari's a million fleeting thoughts running through his brain. 

_This isn't real, it can't be happening. Hiwatari-kun would never--never--_ Daisuke felt Hiwatari's tongue flit softly against his lower lip and completely disolved. He exhaled sharply, hot air escaping his lungs and being drawn into Hiwatari's. Icy fingers began to warm against his flesh, as if Hiwatari were pulling warmth into himself throught Daisuke's skin. Dizziness enveloped Daisuke's brain, and he knew there was nothing that could stop him from transforming right here in Hiwatari's home. 

Pulling his lips away from Daisuke's finally, Hiwatari watched through eyes half lidded with exhaustion as the small red-haired boy shifted below him. Limbs elongating and hair darkening to a dusky purple shade, the mouth changed to a scardonic smirk. Removing his arms from the Phantom Thief's neck, Hiwatari slumped foreward. 

"It's not fair..." Hiwatari's voice trailed off as his eyes finally fell closed. Completely exhausted, he lost consciousness still half on top of Dark's body. 

"I know it's not," Dark murmured almost tenderly, running his fingers through the boy's feather soft locks. Sliding out from underneath the innert form, Dark stood and stretched. Sighing, he stooped to lift Hiwatari from the floor. Carrying the slight boy with little effort, Dark laid him on the messy bed. Hesitating for only a moment, he swiftly unbuttoned Hiwatari's shirt and slid him free of it. Pausing, Dark gazed down at the boy. He looked pitifully pale and incredibly fragile like this. Dark leaned over and gently laid his palm on the white chest, feeling the heart beating steadily beneath the skin. Withdrawing, he pulled a blanket over Hiwatari's sleeping body and exited the apartment. 

Night had descended, and the darkness was absolute. It was cold, and Dark felt exposed, wearing only Daisuke's school uniform. Luckily, Daisuke wore his pants slightly long, so they were long enough for Dark's legs. Dark sighed. 

_Dark, I--I'm sorry,_ Daisuke finally offered meekly, _but he needed me._

Dark remained silent for a long moment, and when he spoke it was aloud, but softly. "You can't help it, can you, Dai-kun?" He shook his head. "You see pain and need in people and rush to their aid, never thinking twice. You behave blindly, stupidly sometimes." He shook his head. Then in a voice that was uncharacteristically gentle, "I admire you for that sometimes, Dai-kun." 

Daisuke didn't reply, and Dark walked in silence for several blocks. Stopping suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk, Dark threw back his head and laughed. 

"He kissed you!" He crowed in delighted ammusement, "and you kissed him back. I told you, you have a crush on him." A black cat looked up startled from it's bath and jumped off the wall it had been perched on. Dark was laughing so hard now his ribs hurt. Doubled over he gasped for air. 

_Dark! You're causing a scene!_ Daisuke protested, wishing he could die of mortification. 

Abruptly straightening, Dark reached up and grasped the edge of the wall and hauled himself up. Still chuckling to himself, he lept gracefully to a rooftop. 

_Taking a shortcut_, he informed Daisuke. _Wouldn't want to anger your mother any more than she already is._

_Yeah,_ Agreed Daisuke glumly. But as Dark vaulted from rooftop to rooftop, Daisuke's mind kept looping back. _Why did Hiwatari-kun kiss me?_

***


	7. Chapter Seven

Daisuke sat in the middle of his bed, hair and skin still damp from the shower, snuggled into a slightly too big pair of pyjamas. Outside of the window, the moon sailed serenely over head, and he could make out the warm squares of lighted windows in the town below. His sketch pad lay in his lap, pencil limply hanging between his fingers as he stared out into the darkness beyond his room. With was curled up beside him, his rabbit ears brusking tickleishly against Daisuke's arm. Even Dark seemed pensive tonight, retreating into his own thoughts and leaving Daisuke to himself. 

Emiko hadn't been angry at his tardy arrival home earlier, instead smiled wordlessly as he came through the door and served his reserved portion of the dinner he had missed. When he had falteringly asked whether she was angry with him, Emiko had laughed. 

"Of course not, Dai-kun. It's barely seven o'clock, and there were no notices sent, so you are free to see your friends," She laughed and winked at him slyly. Daisuke had blushed, she had obviously thought he had been with Risa. 

Daisuke sighed and shifted position. Glancing down at the notebook in his lap, he winced at what he saw there. A half formed sketch was outlined, long limbs only half formed. A line for a mouth, a hint of a nose, the barest outline of wispy hair. The eyes though were fully formed and seemed to leap from the page. They were sharp, hard and cold, staring back at him. In their depths though, he had drawn in something else. Somehow instead of seeming sharp or angry they seemed achingly lonely. Daisuke wished that he had the right shade of blue to colour them. 

_Well, it's definetly something new to add to the pile of Risa sketches,_ Daisuke thought to himself, leaning over the edge of his high bed to toss the notebook onto his desk. _I haven't drawn her in a while._

Sighing, Daisuke slid into the comforting welcome of his sheets and blankets, gathering his pillow into the crook of an arm. One hand curled into a loose fist beside his face, lips slightly parted, Daisuke fell quickly asleep. Later when his mother came in to check on him, she cooed and ran a hand through his hair lightly, thinking of how he always looked like an angel when he slept. 

***

Daisuke was dreaming. At least, he was fairly certain it was a dream. He stood in the dark hallway of his school, the clock outside the window read ten minutes after mindnight. The moonlight slanted in sharply, refracting off of something shiny and silver clutched in his gloved hand. He wore all black, snugly fitted, and his heart was pounding like he had been racing through the school. 

A glint caught his eye, and he turned to see Hiwatari step out of the darkness before him, his face icily dispassionate. The depths of his eyes were frigidly cold, chilling Daisuke to the core as he gazed helplessly into them. Hiwatari brought out a pair of handcuffs with a snap, and reached to grab Daisuke's shirt with his other hand. 

Daisuke's heart pounding, he turned to run in the opposite direction. But he couldn't move. His boots seemed to be nailed to the floor, and his arms felt like they belonged to someone else. He could only watch helplessly as Hiwatari slammed him against the wall and slapped the cold steel cuff around one wrist. 

Gasping with pain at the constriction, Daisuke twisted his other arm away and was caught off guard when Hiwatari suddenly grasped his face with a chillingly painful grip and pushed his head back against the wall hard. Without any other warning, Hiwatari pressed his mouth to Daisuke's and forced his way inside with his tongue. Daisuke's thoughts swimming madly, he tried to turn his face away from the onslaught, however Hiwatari's grip clamped down harder against his cheeks, and he used his body to pin the smaller boy. 

Hiwatari caught Daisuke's lower lip between his sharp teeth and bit down. Daisuke felt his breath involuntarily catch, and knew his body was trembling. Hiwatari's lips pressed again to his, taking advantage of Daisuke's disorientation to deepen the forceful kiss. Daisuke stopped struggling, and for a moment his arms hung limply at his sides. Then, almost against his will, they slid around Hiwatari's neck and his hands tangled themselves into Hiwatari's feather soft hair. A murky thought halfway surfaced in Daiuske's brain; he didn't think he'd ever had one of _these_ kind of dreams before. 

Daisuke felt Hiwatari's hand snaking up his chest, skimming over his tight fitting shirt caressingly. Daisuke's pulse sped up and his fingers locked themselves in Hiwatari's hair, pulling him as close as humanly possible. Without warning, Hiwatari's hand clamped around Daisuke's throat, blocking his breathing. Hiwatari drew away and watched with an ammused smirk as Daisuke clawed and kicked frantically, choking and trying to gasp for air. Daisuke's eyes widened in shock as Hiwatari shimmered and was replaced by an elegant, beautifully sculpted golden replica of Dark. 

Krad's golden hair cascaded and snaked behind him as if it were alive and enjoying Daisuke's struggle for air, and his angelically pretty face was twisted in maniacal glee. Dressed in vestments of gleaming white with his expanse of gleaming wings unfurled, Krad looked like an angel of death. Large honey-gold eyes traced Daisuke's writhing body up and down predatorially, and soft lips parted in a teeth baring feral grin. 

Viselike grip never wavering, Krad leaned close to Daisuke and lightly rubbed his satin soft cheek against Daisuke's. Almost tenderly, Krad kissed Daisuke's jaw and nipped at his ear before whispering into it. 

"Hiwatari is mine. You can't steal him from me, little Phantom Thief." He pulled back and stared unrelentingly into Daisuke's face as the red haired boy began to lose consciousness. Swinging up his free hand to slap Daisuke sharply back awake, Krad snarled. "I will kill you, Niwa," Krad hissed, "I will slice you to shreds for what you made him do to me. You are nothing to him. Nothing." 

Daisuke's mouth gaped fishlike, his vision narrowing. He knew he was going to die. 

***

Daisuke clawed his way layer by layer through inky blackness to finally burst free and take huge gulping breaths of chilly nighttime air. Burying his face in his hands, he took deep breaths and wiped the sweat from his face as his heart descended into it's normal steady rhythm. His covers and sheets were in chaotic dissaray, somehow they had become wrapped around his head as he slept. 

_No wonder I dreamed I couldn't breathe,_Daisuke thought, lowering himself down the ladder beside his bed, _I was suffocating under my blankets. _

Padding on silent feet into the kitchen, Daisuke filled a tall glass with water and sat heavily in a kitchen chair. Rubbing his hand again over his face, Daisuke shook his head. 

_Being the Phantom Thief on top of school and everything else must just be getting to me,_ he took a long drink from his glass and sighed. _I am just getting stressed out, thats all._

"Kyu?" With had climbed up into an empty chair beside Daisuke and pawed at him, large bunny eyes full of uncanny concern. 

Daisuke smiled and scratched the little creature's head. It was easy to forget sometimes that With was much more than any regular pet. 

"I guess it's hard on you sometimes too, huh?" Daisuke took a few strawberries from a basket in the center of the table and offered it to With. With took them and gobbled them down speedily, then hopped into Daisuke's lap. Curling down, he sighed contentedly and fell promptly asleep. 

Daisuke smiled and finished his water. Gently shifting With into his arms without waking him, he set the glass in the kitchen sink and headed back up the stairs to his bedroom. The movement didn't disturb Daisuke's fuzzy little rider, who cuddled more closely against his chest and snuggled his head under Daisuke's chin. Finding his way lithely in the dark, Daisuke lifted the gently snoring With into his bed before reaching for the ladder. Turning, something caught in a splatter of moonlight on his floor caught Daisuke's eye. 

A long white feather gleamed in the moonlight, bright as a star. With suddenly trembling fingers, Daisuke picked it up. Soft and slightly warm as he turned it over in his hand and tried to rationalize how it could have gotten there. 

He was still trying to puzzle it out when he drifted back into uncertain sleep. 

***

Daisuke woke up late the next morning and panicked. Throwing on his clothes and grabbing a piece of toast from the table as he dashed past it, Daisuke wasn't really awake yet as he pulled open the door and turned to yell behind him. 

"I'm going now!" Daisuke halfway choked on his toast,eating it in huge gulping bites as he ran down the sidewalk. 

"Dai-kun! Wait! There's no school today!" Emiko stood in the doorway shaking her head at her son. 

Daisuke came to a sudden screeching halt in the middle of the sidewalk. Closing his eyes, he mentally counted off the days of the week in his head. Heaving a huge sigh, he turned and trudged back toward the house. 

_How can I be so dumb?_he questioned himself glummly, _I can't even remember what day it is anymore._

Plodding back up the stairs and into his room, he stripped off his school uniform and struggled a sweater over his head. He was staring morosely into a mirror and trying once again halfheartedly to flatten the unruly spikes of red hair that sprung defiantly from his head when he heard voices shouting outside his window. 

"Niwa-kun!" Risa stood beneath his window with a hand cupped around her mouth shouting up at him. Beside her, perched on her bike, was Riku. 

Daisuke pulled open his window and leaned out. Both girls spotted him and waved happily. _Risa looks beautiful,_Daisuke thought, admiring her pretty lemon yellow skirt and white sweater. With her dark hair swept up and her sweet friendly smile, just from looking at her Daisuke felt his heart speed up. 

_She is cute, but what about Riku?_Dark interjected. Daisuke wondered why Dark sounded so smug. 

_Riku is--_ Daisuke turned his attention to the second girl and paused. Perched on her bicycle clad in a pair of jeans and a red and black sweater, Riku smiled up at him. Her hair was wind-blown and messy, her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling from the chill. _Riku is adorable too_ Daisuke admitted. 

Dark chuckled knowingly. _You don't know what you want, do you Daisuke?_

"Niwa-kun, we were going on a picnic in the park. Do you want to come with us?" Risa called up to him, tossing her hair back and smiling. 

"I made the food, not Risa-chan, so it's safe," Riku added, winking at Daisuke to share the tease. 

"Riku! I'm getting better--" Risa pouted cutely at her twin 

"I'm comming down," Daisuke called, grabbing a jacket before racing down the stairs. 

"I'm going now!" he called to his mother for the second time, and not waiting for an answer stepped out into the crisp fall air. 

Risa skipped happily alongside him as they walked, stopping to exclaim over a cute puppy they passed in a yard and talking a mile a minute about Dark. As she spoke, Daisuke watched the play of sunlight over her shining hair and saw a flush creep into her cheeks as she spoke about his alter-ego. For once though, the twinge of jealousy he felt was very minor, and didn't even threaten to eclipse his sense of wellbeing. 

_Risa _is_ adorable,_Daisuke thought, _She's like a pretty little kitten. You can't help but want to play with her and talk to her. But maybe..._

_Maybe Risa isn't the right one for you after all?_ Dark finished the thought. 

Riku rode her bike slowly beside him and made a motion to catch his eye. Rolling her eyes at Risa's incessant chattering, Riku gave Daisuke a conspiritory wink. When he grinned back at her, she tossed her head and the wind caught her hair, lifting it away from her ears. She wore tiny red studs in her earlobes, which twinkled as they caught the light. 

_I didn't know Harada-san had her ears peirced,_Daisuke noted to himself. _I guess maybe there are a lot of things I dont know about her._

Daisuke felt Dark laugh. _There are other things about her a boy your age _should_ be noticing, Dai-kun. _ Dark said slyly, _Now _that_ is a kitten I would like to play with._

_D-Dark! You pervert!_ Daisuke felt his cheeks flush as he struggled to keep his face straight. Risa never noticed his discomfiture, but Riku raised an eyebrow at him quizzically. Daisuke dipped his face into the collar of his coat and refused to meet her gaze. When she had rode ahead of him a bit, he risked glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. _She really does look pretty,_ he mused. 

_Does this mean you like her better than Risa-chan now?_Dark's tone was laced with ammusement, _Better than Hiwatari-san even?_

_God, everything is so confusing._

***

Dark slipped out of Daisuke's bedroom window sometime just before midnight. No notice had been sent out, and he wasn't in the mood to steal anything anyway. Instead, after an afternoon spent picnicking with the Harada twins in the park, he just wanted some time to himself. Except for the company of With, of course. Afixed to his back as an expanse of black wings, the creature had kept him company for centuries. 

Now Dark sat perched atop a long abandoned lighthouse. Purple hair blown back in the freezing wind, Dark wrapped himself in a cloak of black feathers. Pushing a chunk of crumbled stone off of the edge of the roof, Dark watched as it plunged to it's doom into the icy water. He was feeling morose tonight. 

It was his birthday, after all. Sort of. The aniversary of the night that a spark of life had entered a body created by his former master. He had awoken into a foreign world, and had watched bemused as life was called into a body that slept unfilled at his side. 

_"He is your twin, Dark. Your equal and your opposite. I have created you both to keep balance in this world."_

Dark pushed the memories away. Lifetimes had passed since then. Hearts had been crushed and trusts betrayed. Lovers had become enemies. Dark exhaled slowly, breath escaping his lips to fling itself away on the wind. 

"I can always find you when you are unhappy, Dark." A gleaming white and gold figure stepped out of the shadows beside him. Without looking up, Dark pushed a strand of hair behind his ear. 

"Have you come to try and kill me?" Dark asked finally, without moving. 

"No, not tonight. Tonight is for remembering the past." A gloved hand came to caress Dark's cheek and touch lightly across his lips. "I have a heart too, Dark. Or at least pieces of one." 

Dark's eyes met ones of poured honey-gold and flickered down to lips he had kissed, once, and often. The wind had caught Krad's fall of hair, and spun it into a web around them both. Krad's touch on Dark's cheek became posessive, curling around behind his neck. 

"What you did to me can never be forgiven, Dark," Krad purred, "But for tonight, let's make nice and pretend that you still love me." 

Dark felt a scardonic smile curl up his lips. "Are you going to pretend you still love me too?" 

Krad clucked his tongue reprovingly. "I do still love you, Dark. I love you as much as I hate you, and you already know that." Krad's other hand had come to rest on Dark's opposite cheek, cradling his face in his hands. "I'm just going to forget about the 'hate' part for now." 

Krad lowered his face to Dark's and pressed his lips to Dark's chilled ones. Dark's breath caught in his throat and he raised his hands to push the slim golden form away from him, but instead caught his arms sliding around a familiar waist. Opening his mouth against Krad's, Dark felt their tongues meet and catch in a familiar twisting battle. 

"You can't fight me now, Dark," Krad smirked triuphantly, his eyes alight with lust when the kiss finally broke. 

Dark didn't answer, only quirked his own smirking smile back at him, grabbed a handful of golden hair and yanked his blond counterpart back into another hungry kiss. 

_That's assuming I wanted to, you idiot,_ Dark retorted, but only in his head. 

***

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note:   
I don't usually write these because I like to let my stories stand on their own, but I felt compelled to write one for this chapter. I appologise if it seems disjointed or off, I have been adjusting to a new job and trying to write this at the same time.   
Secondly, please don't kill or maim me for this! I am trying to give Dark and Krad a little backstory, and somehow this seemed appropriate. (For all of you yaoi fans, this scene isn't really over yet.)   
And that brings me to my third point. I believe that upon posting the next chapter, I will have to change the rating to an "R". Just a heads up and a warning. 

*meow* 

Liegenschonheit 


	8. Chapter Eight

Dark's fingernails snagged in the silken tangle of Krad's hair as he yanked his blonde counterpart in for another hungry kiss. It had been centuries since he had last delved his tongue between the lips and past the sharp teeth to twine tongues and taste the trecherous sweetness of Krad's mouth. He felt his former lover's arms wrapping tightly around his back, pulling him as close as humanly possible. Chest grinding against slender chest, hips beginning to teasingly brush together, Dark stopped trying to think. 

_God, it has been so long..._Dark gasped as he felt the soft cotton of Krad's gloved hand insinuating itself under the edge of his shirt, skim caressingly over his ribs and capture a hardened nipple between his fingers. 

_Dark! Are you insane? This is _Krad_! The one who has been trying to kill you._ Daisuke sputtered, confused and shocked by the rapid procession of events. 

_Shut up, Dai-kun. Tonight is mine, _ Dark replied as he caught Krad's lower lip between his teeth and bit down. _Besides, think of who you sound like,_ Dark added, ammused. 

_I sound like you, idiot!_ Daisuke retorted. 

Dark didn't reply as Krad's honey eyes widened at the sudden pain, then narrowed again with pleasure. A low purring growl rumbled through his chest as he grasped the hem of Dark's shirt and pulled it swiftly over the touseled purple hair of the Phantom Thief. Dark's breath involuntarily caught as frigid night air attacked his gleaming white flesh. Trembling slightly with cold, he drew Krad's warm body back against his own. Catching the white clad wrist, Dark brought the gloved hand to his lips. Catching the cotton swathed fingertip in his mouth, Dark let his teeth scrape over it as he pulled the glove away. Chest to chest once again, Dark could feel Krad's heartbeat speed up as intense cat eyes fixed on his lips. Resting his newly freed hand on Dark's pale chest, Krad offered his other hand for simmilar treatment. 

Closing violet eyes, Dark nudged his hips against Krad's, low slung leather pants falling below shadow graced hipbones. Grasping the second white glove in his teeth, Dark swung his eyes up, meeting Krad's gaze with matching intesity. Slowly, with deliberate care, Dark drew the glove away, lips clinging sensually to Krad's fingertips. Pulling his hand away roughly, Krad swung it around to grasp the back of Dark's head, bringing him in for a wild kiss that was more teeth and tongue than lips. 

Chuckling, Dark drew away and with infuriating slowness began to negotiate the removal of Krad's clothing. Krad made an attempt to once again lunge in for a kiss, but Dark expertly deflected it. Krad impatiently reached for his clothing, intending to tear it off of himself in frustration, but a firm glance from Dark had his hands settling again like nervous birds at his side. With infinite care, Dark carefully unbuttoned and unbuckled Krad's clothing, allowing his hands to tease and caress as he did so. 

"So impatient, Krad. You get so excited and can't hold yourself back," Dark murmured, finally slipping the heavy white robes from Krad's shoulders. 

Krad moaned a little as the icy wind was replaced by Dark's arms around his back and buried his face into the Phantom Thief's neck. Arms tight around Dark, in the moonlight the two looked as if they were carved from the same stone. Shivering slightly, Krad ran his lips over Dark's neck, leaving wet kisses from collarbone to the shadow under his ear. Fingernails scrabbling over Dark's back, Krad planted one last kiss on his pulse point and then sunk his teeth into the soft skin. 

Dark grunted with the sudden pain, pulling sharply at Krad's blonde locks and throwing his head back. Dark's hands slid everywhere over Krad's white-gold body, leaving red scratches under his shoulderblades and pinching both of his nipples at once. Krad released his grip on Dark's throat with a feral growl, and unexpectedly pushed Dark backwards onto the ground. 

Checking his fall with his usual grace, Dark managed to land without hurting himself. The stone was like ice against his bare skin, chilled by the ocean breeze that blew up the side of the cliff and whistled past the old lighthouse. Krad pounced on him, settling over him like a cat on a mouse, yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness. Pushing Dark flat against the stone, Krad flung one white clad leg over him, straddling him. Grinding groing to groin, Krad slunk his upper body forward and licked lightly up Dark's chest. The wind caught his hair and flung it over both of them like a net of silk and sunlight as Krad's tongue flicked out to lick at Dark's nipples. Sucking one into his mouth, he nibbled it gently, grinding harder against Dark. 

Eyes raising to meet Dark's, he slid his tongue back down Dark's chest and along the edge of Dark's pants. With deft practiced movements, Krad unzipped and unbuttoned the straining leather. With one last, wicked grin, Krad darted his tongue out like a cat licking up milk. Feeling first Krad's tongue, then mouth, engulf him, Dark fell back against the stones of the lighthouse, barely feeling the cold. Moaning into the night, Dark reached down and ran his hands through Krad's mane, spreading it over himself like a silken blanket. Bucking his hips in time with Krad's stroking rhythm, Dark's fingernails clawed at the stone, leaving fingertips raw and bloody. Eyes closed, he was gasping. He knew he was close. 

Too close. Abruptly sitting and flipping Krad over onto his back, Dark reversed their positions. First peeling his own pants away, he ran his hands from Krad's ankle to thigh, deliberately teasing him before flicking open the fastenings of Krad's pants. Tearing them down roughly, Dark tossed them aside with a feral smile of his own. 

_Krad may like to play the dominant one,_ he thought, catching both of Krad's wrists in one hand and forcing them down above Krad's head, _but we both know what he really wants._

Dark let his free hand slide teasingly down Krad's chest, touch featherlight and ticklish. Krad's eyes were fastened to Dark's face and were dark with lust. Leaning forward to run his tongue over Krad's lips, Dark's hand found Krad and began a slow but persistant rhythm of it's own. Krad moaned and arched his backoff of the pavement at Dark's touch, eyes closed. Dark lowered his mouth to suck at the smooth skin of Krad's throat, licking at the fluttering pulse. 

Finally, knowing that Krad couldnt take much more, Dark settled himself between Krad's pale legs. Positioning himself, Dark thrust forward gently. Krad's eyes flew open and his arms wrapped tightly around Dark. 

"Don't be gentle," He told Dark, pressing his face to Dark's shoulder. "I need--" 

Krad sucked his breath in sharply as Dark pushed roughly into him. Dark pushed Krad roughly back onto the stones, bracing himself as he drove hard into him. Lost in the pain and pleasure, Krad tore at Dark's chest and back with sharp nails, inflicting shallow cuts and raised welts. Dark's breath began to quicken as he felt himself going over the edge. Grasping a handful of Krad's hair, he buried his face in it, moaning and breathing in Krad's scent. 

Krad clutched at dark, nipping at his shoulders and collarbone. Dark increased the speed and intensity of the grinding thrusts, pushing harder into Krad and causing more friction between the two bodies. Krad felt the pressure mount and he sunk his teeth into Dark's shoulder, then crumpled in release. Dark had also stiffened, driven into him one final time and collapsed against him. 

Nuzzling at Dark's ear, Krad let his breath slide warmly into it. "Tell me," he whispered. 

Dark turned to look at him with unreadable eyes. He didn't say anything, just flipped a strand of hair out of his eyes. 

Krad reached up and gripped Dark's face in his hand. "Tell me, Dark. Say it." 

Dark sighed. Gently, he ran a finger over Krad's lower lip. " I love you, Krad. I always have," Dark smiled bitterly, "I have to. He never gave me the choice. But," lowered his face against Krad's chest, letting himself be cradled, "I choose to hate you." 

Krad touched a finger to Dark's lips. "Not tonight. Tonight, we just have love," He sighed and snuggled closer against Dark, drawing his discarded white robe over them like a blanket, "But if I see you tomorrow I will kill you." 

Closing his eyes sleepily, Dark sighed again. _I know you will._ Then, almost an afterthought, _Dai-kun? Are you ok?_ He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing he could have tried to put Daisuke to "sleep", but also knowing he would never have had enough concentration to hold him in that state. 

_I--yeah. No. I don't know, _Daisuke replied falteringly, sounding a little stunned. 

_We'll talk more about it in the morning, _ Dark told him, lulled by Krad's even breathing to the gates of sleep. Drifting into the fog of dreams, Dark found himself looking at a house he hadn't seen in lifetimes. 

***


	9. Chapter Nine

Dark stood in a garden surrounded by arbours of roses and singing fountains. All around him butterflies spread their wings and birds flung themselves into the achingly perfect sky. Everything here was always perfect. A gentle breeze breeze warmly stirred the long black robe he wore and pushed the purple strands of hair into his eyes. A large stone house stood at the foot of the garden, windows glinting invitingly in what seemed to be late afternoon light. He knew every inch of that house by memory, and his feet led the way down garden paths that they had never forgotten. 

_This is a dream, _ Dark thought to himself, _ This house was destroyed years ago._

Approaching the house, he reached for the handle of the door only to have his hand sink through the door. Dark blinked, then accepted it. It was a dream, after all. Passing through the back door like a wraith, he was not suprised to find himself not in the kitchen that lay behind the door, but in an upstairs bedroom. Across a wide expanse of polished wooden floor and the deep jewel tones of a turkish carpet, a man stood beside a curtained dark wood four-poster bed. 

The man appeared to be still young, but Dark knew him to be, in actuality, very old. Meticulously garbed, the serious faced man had his long dark hair swept back in a neat tail, and habitually reached up with one well manicured hand to adjust a pair of gold wire rimmed glasses. Pausing every now and then to scribble notes in a handy book, the man continued to prepare the room without interuption, failing to even notice Dark's presence. 

_He looked like a nervous scholar,_ Dark thought, mouth quirking into a half smile, _not at all like the Master that he was._ Dark had never known his Master's true name, or if he had even had one. He had simply been Dark's Master, and to him, the word was the same as Father. 

Moving like a ghost, or the phantom he had been named for, Dark came to stand at his Master's side. He had finished the final line in the diagram he had chalked onto the bare floor around the bed, and dusted his hands across his pants. With quick, efficient movements, he pulled open the thick sable velvet bedcurtains and tied them back. On the bed, swathed in white sheets, two figures lay side by side. Flicking back the sheet, Dark's eyes widened as he saw the lifeless forms of himself and Krad, lying as if asleep in the massive bed. 

The Master had begun chanting now, standing with his hands held before him as if in prayer, about two inches apart. As he droned on, concentrating on the space between his hands, a pale silvery light began to glow between them. As it solidified into a mist, he leaned forward and pressed his hands over the sleeping Dark's heart. With a gasp, the eyes of the young Dark flew open. Luminescently purple, they scanned the room frantically before comming to rest on the face of the Master. 

"Peace, Dark," the Master murmered, "You are home." 

Slowly, young Dark's shoulders relaxed, and one pale tentative hand fluttered up to lay across the hand that still lay over his heart. Like a kitten, his eyes slipped half closed and he smiled. The Master gently pulled his hand away and smoothed the long vibrant locks away from Dark's face. 

"I have made you first, Dark," the Master said as he made his way to the other side of the bed to stand beside the still inert figure that lay beside Dark,"And once I was assured of your perfection I replicated you in him. I made a few changes, of course," he said smiling as he stroked a finger across the golden brow, "but he is still you, so to speak. He is your twin, Dark. Your equal and your opposite. I have created you both to keep balance in this world." Holding his hands up before him, the Master began to chant again. As the golden vapour coalesced between his hands and he pressed it home into Krad's heart, he smiled at Dark. "You must keep him safe, Dark. You must always love him." 

The wraithlike dreaming Dark watched as Krad stirred, took his first breath, and opened his eyes to gaze, not into the Master's eyes, but into the eyes of the young Dark that lay beside him. 

Running a hand over the gleaming yellow locks of Krad's hair, the young Dark looked back up at the Master. "I will always love him," he said softly, "I already do. You made me to feel this way." 

With a slightly sad smile, the master adjusted his glasses before replying. "His heart is more fragile than yours, Dark. Krad will love you unconditionally or his heart will break." As he spoke, his eyes swept up and away from those of the young Dark to meet squarely with those of the dreaming Dark. "I leave his heart in your hands." 

The world around Dark began to disolve, the floor falling away first, then the forms of himself and Krad holding eachother where they lay, and finally, lastly, the face of his Master. For a time Dark felt himself falling, then plunging into another memory that bubbled up around him like water. Surrounded by roses, he recognised his Master's favourite fountain in the garden. Delicately carved, it depicted merfolk frolicing amongst stone filigree, sending water flying high into the air to musically splash back into the pool at it's base. 

The Master sat in a nearby bench, instructing his two young creations on the use of their magic. They had seemingly been at it all afternoon, because abruptly the Master clapped his hands and called an end to the session. Laughing, the twin figures flopped onto the grass at his feet and lounged against eachother's appendages. 

"You are getting much better," the Master smiled, "Good enough now for me to tell you what I must. I'm afraid I have been putting this off for quite some time." He paused, adjusted his glasses. Sensing the change in mood, Krad and Dark instantly became serious as well. Standing beside the fountain, the sleeping Dark felt his heart turn over. This was a day he had hoped to forget. 

"I must leave this world soon," the Master continued, ignoring the young Dark's sudden stormy expression, "there are things that demand my attention elsewhere. However, when I am gone I do not want all of my work here to unravel. That is why I created you two. You are the keepers of all things of beauty that are created by human hands. Krad," he smiled gently, lightly touching the cheek of his golden haired creation," You are inspiration and the keeper of all artists. Creation is your charge. Dark," here he lay a hand on the top of the bowed purple head,"you must protect and preserve. In creation, there lay much power. Other forces will seek to bend that power to their will. Do you understand? 

Mutely, Dark nodded, head still bowed. Looking up defiantly at last, his face was streaked with tears. "You are leaving us, then? Just like that?" 

Sadly, the Master sighed. "There are things outside of this world that are in peril. I do not wish to leave you, but I must. Such is the way between fathers and sons." Standing, the master turned to go, "Time is short, I may not get any other chance to say goodbye. I have blessed you both with my love, and that is the most precious thing anyone can give. Remember that." 

As he watched the Master walk away, the younger Dark bowed his head to hide his tears. From behind him, Krad wrapped his arms around his counterpart and lay his golden head against his back. "We are not alone, we will always have eachother." Krad said softly, "We don't need anyone else." 

Dark turned and pressed his face into Krad's neck. "We need other people, Krad. There is a whole world out there of people who need us as much as we need them." 

Krad's eyes narrowed and his mouth tightened. "No," he said sharply,"You are mine. I only need you." 

Dark lifted his head and smiled at the scowling face. Tugging teasingly at a loose strand of impossibly long hair, Dark laughed softly. "Don't be stupid, Krad, of course I am yours. I may need to be near other people, but wherever you are is where my home is." Leaning forward, Dark lay a kiss across Krad's lips, cradling his face in his hands. Krad's arms slipped around Dark, and the kiss quickly became more heated. Feeling as though he were somehow intruding upon himself, the dreaming Dark turned to leave as hands began to wander and clothes became unimportant. As he turned the corner out of the niche in the garden, Dark found himself standing beside the younger version of himself on a nighttime rooftop. 

_My dreams just keep getting better and better,_ Dark though wryly to himself as he recognised the scene around him. It was the night of the same day he had just witnessed. Below the rooftop where he stood, a shop window across the winding street was lit. Inside, a young red-haired boy stood with a paintbrush in hand. Oblivious of the fact that he had a vibrant streak of green paint across his chin, he contemplated the canvas before him. Behind him, another boy of simmilar age entered the shop. 

"Eh, Niwa-kun, you're still here?" The blue haired boy came to stand at the young Niwa's shoulder. "Looks like it's almost finished." 

"Huh? Oh, it's you, Hikari-kun," he said, glancing over his shoulder. Hikari laughed, then grabbed a rag and ungently scrubbed the smear of paint from his friend's face. "Uh, thanks. I can't seem to quite get this part right." 

Hikari stood and analyzed the painting critically for a moment, then grinned. "Here, just do this," he said, taking the brush from Niwa's fingers and making a few short strokes, "see? You had it, it was just a little unbalanced." 

The red-headed boy's eyes lit up, and he smiled happily. "It's perfect! I wish were as talented as you." 

Hikari's reply was never heard, because at that moment Krad alighted on the rooftop next to Dark. Glancing up, Dark smiled at his blonde counterpart and gestured to the shop below. "Look at them, Krad. Aren't they beautiful?" 

Meeting Krad's gaze, the younger Dark was shocked by the rage and hurt he saw in them. "Is this what you want, Dark? What I have to offer isn't enough for you, so you seek out these children?" 

Dark's eyebrow raised smoothly. "What are you talking about, Krad? I told you, we need them and they need us. It isn't as simple as just you and me anymore." 

Krad's eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted into a snarl. "I don't need them. You don't need them. You are _mine_ Dark, and I will hurt anyone that tries to take you from me." 

Eyes flashing, Dark stood swiftly to meet Krad's angry stare. "No one is trying to take me from you, and you heard the charges the Master laid on us. That boy," he said, pointing at Niwa, "needs me to protect him and his creation. That boy," he gestured to Hikari, who now stood before his own canvas, "needs _you_ to help him create." 

Whirling away with a snarl, Krad flung himself from the roof. Landing with a sweep of his wings, he drew a white feather from his wing and charged it between his fingers, then flicked it at the little shop's window. The explosion rocked the entire tiny town and knocked Dark from his feet. Scrambling up, Dark furiously leapt down after Krad. Inside the shop, the blue haired Hikari boy lay unconscious against a wall, and the terrified Niwa dangled from Krad's grasp as he tightened his hold of the boy's smock. 

Without thinking, Dark launched himself at Krad and sent him crashing into a wall. Niwa, though scared, fell unhurt to the floor. Growling with rage, Krad hurled himself away from the wall and back at the boy, who sat stunned on the floor. Quickly, Dark stepped between them and punched Krad hard across the jaw. Stunned, Krad stopped, then slowly reached up to lay one white gloved hand on the angry red welt that had sprung up where Dark had hit him. 

Golden eyes wide with shock and pain, Krad stared at Dark, who stood between him and the boy, poised to intervene if Krad attempted to attak again. "You--you hit me," he said at last, voice thick with pain, "You struck me in order to save _that_." Anger crept back into his face and voice. "I understand, Dark. You have made your choice. Keep him." Scrambling to his feet, Krad moved angrily to the other side of the room where the unconscious Hikari had fallen. "You keep him and I will take _him_. I don't need you." Sweeping the inert form into his arms, Krad unfurled his wings and prepared to launch himself into the sky. Turning back, he snarled at Dark, "I will have my revenge. The next time I see you, I will kill you." 

Once Krad had gone, all of the tension drained from Dark. Slumping to the floor, he took a deep shaking breath. Beside him, Niwa picked himself up off of the floor and tentatively put one hand on Dark's shoulder. 

"Are you all right?" The red haired boy asked quietly, amber eyes still large with fright. Dark didn't reply, just ran a hand smoothly over the boy's hair. 

Still on the rooftop, the phantom Dark took a deep breath. Around him, the dream was beginning to disolve again. In his sleep on a frigid lighthouse roof, Dark turned over and sunk deeper into sleep, leaving dreams behind, unaware that he now lay tangled in the limbs of another sleeping blue haired boy. With a sigh, Dark's sleeping form began to glow lightly, then shrink. Daisuke shivered slightly, then drew himself closer to the warmth of the body beside him without waking up. 

***


	10. Chapter Ten

The pale grey light of dawn was just breaking when Daisuke shivered in his sleep and turned restlessly under the makeshift blanket that covered him. He was vaguely aware that he was naked, and that his entire body was covered with goosebumps the size of easter eggs except where it was pressed against something warm. Instinctively, he turned and nuzzled into that heat, wrapping his arms and one leg around it, trying to get as much warmth as he could. Pressing his face into something soft and clean smelling, Daisuke sighed happily and prepared to let himself drift back to sleep. 

_I should really talk to Mom about keeping the heater turned on at night, _ he thought, on the edge of sleep_ and maybe I should get another pad for my matress, it feels really hard..._

Daisuke gasped as realization washed over him. Pressing one hand over his eyes, he layed back on the cold concrete as memories of the night before flooded back. His cheeks flushed a burning red as he remembered Dark's lips roaming over Krad's body, Dark pushing himself _into_ the other man... 

_They were like animals,_ Daisuke pressed his lips tightly together and gritted his teeth, _biting and clawing at eachother..._ To his embarassment and shame, Daisuke could feel himself getting slightly aroused by the memory. 

The warmth beside him suddenly shifted and made a soft grumble of discomfort. Daisuke flung his hand from his face and opened his eyes wide with shock as beside him Hiwatari sighed and rolled over in his sleep, twining one arm around Daisuke's waist and settling his cheek comfortably against the flat of his ribcage. Daisuke could see the scratches and welts coursing bright red down the pale boy's bare flesh, wounds inflicted on Krad that transfered over to Hiwatari. Surveying himself quickly, Daisuke discovered that he too was crisscrossed with scratches from fingernails and bitemarks. 

_Dark? Dark, what exactly happened last night?_ Daisuke flushed deeper, almost purple, _I mean, I know _what_ happened, but why? Are you awake Dark?_ Daisuke sighed and shook his head. He could feel Dark's presence, but he seemed totally inert and unresponsive. _He must be completely exhausted._

Daisuke glanced tentatively back at Hiwatar's sleeping body. Gleamingly pale and shivering, limbs still twined with Daisuke's, Hiwatari was half curled in a ball. Daisuke's eyes traveled down the bumps of spine and over Hiwatari's hipbones to where Krad's white robe draped over both of them. Trying to extricate himself from Hiwatari without waking him would be impossible, Daisuke decided, laying back against the cold ground. 

_I am actually sleeping with---no, next to--Hiwatari-kun. And we are both naked._ Despite the cold and despite his discomfort, Daisuke could feel himself getting slightly aroused again. Hiwatari shifted against him again, drawing up his thigh between Daisuke's silkenly. Stretching slightly, Hiwatari opened his eyes and raised his head. Rubbing his eyes with the back of one hand, Hiwatari half smiled at Daisuke. 

"Good morning, Niwa-kun," he said calmly, then reached down to run a finger lightly over a deep bite mark on Daisuke's collarbone. Daisuke expected Hiwatari to pull away, but instead he shifted himself closer, lowering his head to brush his lips lightly over the mark he had just fingered. 

"Hiw--hiwatari-kun, what are you--" Daisuke said in a soft shakey voice, only to be cut off when Hiwatari, eyes half closed, brought his lips up against Daisuke's. Caught with his mouth still open, Daisuke didn't protest when Hiwatari's tongue curled into his mouth. Instead, his arms seemed to slide of their own accord around Hiwatari's back. As the kiss deepened, Daisuke felt the familiar dizziness wash over him. After a moment however, the world stopped spinning and he remained untransformed. 

_What's happening?_ Dark's presence remained dormant. _ Dark must be too exhausted from last night._

Hiwatari had a handful of Daisuke's red hair clenched in one fist and had his other arm curled posessively around Daisuke's shoulder, holding him as close as humanly possible. Daisuke was keenly aware of the fact that they were both naked and that he could feel _every_ inch of Hiwatari's body against his, but in this confusing state that normally distressing thought made his arms tighten around Hiwatari. 

Pulling back only slightly, Hiwatari looked at Daisuke searchingly. "You haven't changed into Dark." 

Daisuke shook his head. "I don't think I can right now, " Daisuke hesitated, then added in a small voice, "That isn't why you kissed me, is it? To make me change into Dark so you could catch him?" 

Hiwatari smiled slightly and brushed the blue hair out of his eyes. Without his glasses, his face looked softer. "No, that isn't why," he replied, running a finger across Daisuke's lower lip, "I'm actually glad. Very glad." Daisuke flushed red again, and Hiwatari laughed softly. "You are cute, Niwa-kun, "Hiwatari said, leaning in for another kiss, "I've always thought so." 

"Um, shouldn't we get up, Hiwatari-kun?" Daisuke asked, hoping his voice was louder than the thunder of his pulse. After last night and what was happening right now, he just couldn't make himself _think_. "It's cold and we're going to be late for school..." 

Hiwatari shook his head forcefully and twined himself tighter around Daiuske, placing one hand on either side of his head so that there was no avenue of escape. "No." 

Daisuke felt his breath catch again, and couldnt rip his eyes away from Hiwatari's blue ones. They were still cold, even now, but a different kind of cold. It was as if Hiwatari had been starved of warmth for so long he was dying for a little heat. Without thinking, Daisuke responded to that need, wrapping his arms around Hiwatari's shoulders and pressing his lips against the other boy's. 

Hiwatari stiffened momentarily in suprise, then melted against Daisuke. Unthinking for once, he simply allowed himself to feel. Opening his mouth wider against Daisuke's, Hiwatari slipped his tongue past the smaller boy's soft lips and delved deep into Daisuke's mouth, free for once from Krad's enraged interference. 

"You taste like cinnamon," Hiwatari said breathlessly as the kiss finally broke. 

"Mmm," Daisuke sighed as he nuzzled his face against Hiwatari's neck and dropped feathery kisses along his collarbone. Hiwatari buried his face into Daisuke's flame coloured hair and closed his eyes. He kept them closed as Daisuke raised his head again and brushed soft kisses along his cheekbones and temples before laying another achingly sweet kiss on his lips. 

"Hiwatari-kun, I've always liked you," Daisuke said softly, brilliant amber eyes silently pleading for acceptance. 

Hiatari smiled. "I know," he said, and leaned forward to kiss Daisuke again. 

Daisuke evaded the kiss and bit his lower lip. "No, I mean, I _liked_ you. Like this," he averted his eyes, and blushing, made an all encompasing gesture. "Dark would tease me for having a--" Daisuke hesitated, and blushed more deeply, "a crush on you." 

Hiwarari pulled Daisuke forward and kissed him, funneling all of the emotion that he was feeling but couldn't express into it. Daisuke clung to him, trembling slightly, and accepted all of the passion and anguish of that kiss, sucking all of Hiwatari's pent up emotion into his own slender little body.   
Hiwatari pulled back abruptly, face twisting with sudden pain. _I don't deserve this,_ he thought, tears running down his face for the first time in years, _He's too good, he gives too much..._

"S--satoshi-kun?" Hiwatari looked up, startled. It was the first time Daisuke had ever called him by his given name. "I know I'm not supposed to feel this way, but I--I think I lo--" 

Hiwatari quickly lunged forward and silenced Daisuke with a quick kiss. "Don't say it," he hissed softly. Daisuke's face broke, and he turned it away so Hiwatari couldn't see him cry. Hiwatari gently turned Daisuke's face back to his. "Don't say it because it isn't fair," he said gently, "I don't deserve it. No matter what happens, I still have my duty." 

Daisuke pressed his tearstained face against Hiwatari's shoulder, feeling like a fool. Of course _this_ changed nothing. Above him, Hiwatari shifted his weight, kissing Daisuke's forehead gently. Then, he lowered his mouth to the other boy's neck, kissing with aching softness the deep bruises and bitemarks from the night before. Slowly, he made his way down the length of Daisuke's body, lingering over the chest and nipples, kissing and carressing each scratch and welt inflicted by his other self. 

Daisuke gasped as Hiwatari's tongue flicked across his chest and swirled around one of his nipples. He trembled with shock and fear and pleasure, wishing that he somehow knew what to do. Between Dark and Krad the night before, the same gestures had seemed frightening and feral, but now they just felt _right_. 

Hiwatari's slender fingers closed around Daisuke, making him shake even harder. "What are you doing?" he barely managed to grit out between clenched teeth. Hiwatari didn't reply, just leaned forward and took him into his mouth. Every thought flew out of Daisuke's head as he arched back against the hard ground, moaning. It felt so good it almost hurt, and knowing it was Hiwatari--he almost couldn't contain everything he was feeling inside of himself. 

Hiwatari had his arms wrapped around Daisuke's hips as he thrashed and bucked, moaning. When Daisuke had finally lay back against the ground again, panting, Hiwatari crawled on his hands and knees up to kiss him lightly on the lips. 

"I want you to do it.." Daisuke said between gasps for air. He wrapped his arms around Hiwatari's chest tightly. "I want you to be my first." 

"Daisuke-kun I--" Hiwatari was torn between conflicting emotions. It was something he _wanted_ more than anything, but something he knew he wasn't good enough to take. 

"Please," Daisuke's eyes were enormous in his face, full of fear and need. Wordlessly, Hiwatari settled between Daisuke's legs and moved into him very slowly. Daisuke bit his lips and moaned lightly from the sudden pain, face flushed as he met Hiwatari's gaze. Eyes locked, Daisuke watched as Hiwatari's face transformed. His delicately pale cheeks flushed red and he began to moan softly. Daisuke was suprised when the pain went away and he too got swept up in the pleasure of it. 

Finally, Hiwatari arched back and gasped, shaking hard, then collapsed on Daisuke's chest. Daisuke's arms curled posessively around him, fingers curling into feather soft hair. Exhausted, Daisuke lightly kissed the top of Hiwatari's head and drifted into sleep. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

It was some time later, the sun climbing slowly up the morning sky, when Hiwatari untangled himself from Daisuke. Daisuke had drifted into a light sleep again, lashes dark against the pale skin of his cheek. With a regretful smile, Hiwatari ran a finger lightly over Daisuke's lower lip, then pressed it against his own as if trying to save that cinnimon-sweet flavour for later. Silently, Hiwatari stood and pulled Krad's crumpled white robes around himself. 

Daisuke stirred, stretching his arms in the air and yawning, then opening his honey-amber eyes. "You're leaving?" he asked Hiwatari, somewhat plaintively, lips forming a bowlike pout. 

Hiwatari nodded, tearing his eyes away from Daisuke's face. _He was never yours to keep,_ he scolded himself harshly, _be grateful for what you had._ "I have work to do at the station," He heard himself say cooly, pushing his hands into Krad's sleeves. "And you're already missing school." 

Risking another glance at Daisuke, his heart lurched at the sadness on Daisuke's face. Quelling the desire to snuggle the small red-haired boy in his arms and forget all about his duties, Hiwatari adjusted his glasses and looked away. Forcing the normal icy chill back into his voice, he added, "Risa is probably worried about you. You wouldn't want to disapoint her." 

Daisuke lept to his feet, a small sound like a wounded bird escaping his lips. Colour burned high in his cheeks now, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "It meant nothing to you, did it? Just some kind of a trick to get Dark..." Daisuke's voice sounded oddly strangled. 

_I should leave it at that,_ Hiwatari thought, feeling his heart crumbling in his chest, _ I should just go..._

Instead his feet propelled him two steps forward, and his arms caught Daisuke and pulled him close to his chest. The dam inside of him broke, and he pressed his face into the red hair, dropped a light rain of kisses down Daisuke's cheek and pressed his lips to Daisuke's. 

Tenderly, Hiwatari tasted Daisuke's mouth one last time, savouring the spicy sweetness of the other boy's lips. Taking a deep breath, his hands trembled slightly as he pushed Daisuke's hair away from his face and rested his forehead against the smaller boy's. 

"It meant everything to me, Daisuke-kun," Hiwatari said, pressing Daisuke's hand against his heart," But I can't..." He closed his eyes. "I have my duties. I can't let Dark go because...Because I can't live with Krad inside of me." 

Daisuke opened his mouth to speak, but Hiwatari put a finger across his lips to stop him. Without saying another word, Hiwatari turned away and dissapeared down the crumbling steps of the old lighthouse. His smile was bittersweet as he thought of what it might have been like without Dark and Krad. Hiwatari shook his head to clear away the image. He knew his life was nearing it's end, and that Krad would never let go while he lived. 

***

It was nearing noon, and Daisuke still hadn't left the lighthouse. The sun was high in the sky, and bright, and the wind whipped off of the ocean and through his hair. Daisuke closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, letting the chill from the ocean settle in his lungs, then pushing it back out again. The arc of the blue sky sang with birds, and below the ocean roared and grumbled as it beat against the rocks. 

A black feather blew into Daisuke's lap, and he brought it's silken softness absently across his lips as his eyes tracked a passing ship, so far in the distance it looked as if he could have cradled it in his palm. He wore Dark's clothes, rumpled and oversized on his smaller form, and shoes that felt too large on his feet. He had missed most of school today, and he knew his mother must be frantic with worry. Still, he couldn't bring himself to move, and instead let his thoughts wander freely. 

_Last night..._ Last night had been frightening, something surreal and brutal. He didn't understand how two people who _hated_ eachother could ever do something like that. And yet-- _This morning, with Hiwatari, was different. I could have stayed here with him forever._

Daisuke sighed. His heart felt as torn and bruised as his body. It was hard, realizing that you loved someone, consumating it, and losing that person all in one day. Still though, his heart kept beating. The blood would continue to flow, and he would be fine in the end. For now though, every beat was fresh agony. He wondered if his lips would always feel lonely without Hiwatari's. 

"Kyu?" Daisuke looked down in suprise to find With nuzzling his hand, looking sleepy and sun-warmed. He smiled lightly and picked up the little creature, snuggling his face into the feather soft fur. He had forgotten With had been there this whole time, serving first as wings, then finding an out of the way corner to sleep in. 

Stroking his fingers against the strawberry scented whiskery face, Daisuke sighed. _No matter what, there are still people who need me._ Daisuke thought, _This guy still needs me, and Mom, and..._Daisuke's thoughts skimmed over Risa before focusing on her twin. _Riku-chan._ Remembering, Daisuke pictured how she looked with her hair glinting in the sun, and the laughing looks she had shared with him on a warm afternoon. He remembered her blushing when she touched his hand, and the tiny studs she wore in her ears. And how beautiful she was when she smiled. _Riku-chan is-- special too._ Daisuke stared for a moment off into the distance, trying to puzzle through his emotions. He knew that he loved Hiwatari, he could feel the aching hole left in his heart. But Riku was there too, somehow she had made her way into his heart without his realizing it. _Can I love two people?_

In the back of his brain, Daisuke felt the liquid swirl that was Dark awakening and stretching. _Not many people could, Dai-kun,_ Dark replied, yawning_ but you can._

_What is that supposed to mean?_ Daisuke thought back, confused and somewhat peevishly. 

Dark laughed. _Your emotions are pure, Dai-kun._

Daisuke sighed and stood up, stretching his legs. His brain felt addled, and his heart felt like it had been in a blender. It was time to go home. Carefully picking his way across the crumbling stone toward the stairs, a flash of light caught Daisuke's eye. The old beacon, long unlit, had caught the sun's rays and reflected them back. The metal seemed remarkably uncorroded, having stood so long unused. Idly, Daisuke walked closer, intending to run a finger over the uncorrupted metal. 

Pausing with his hand outstretched, Daisuke caught sight of a small metal figure at the heart of the becaon. Made of the same gleaming metal as the reflection plate that had caught Daisuke's eye, the figure stood about six inches tall. It was of a bird with intricately carved plumage that swept gracefully back, the tail flowing flawlessly into the reflection plate. It's head tilted upward at a sharp angle, and the elegantly slender beak was open as if the bird was singing. The eyes were made of some deep yellow stone that glinted in the light. Looking at the bird and the beacon, Daisuke thought that the whole thing seemed very small to serve as the light in a lighthouse. Daisuke reached for the bird to slide his fingers over it's smooth back. 

_Dai-kun, don't--!_ Dark said sharply, but Daisuke's fingers had already made contact with the little bird. Daisuke's body stiffened sharply, as if shocked with electrical current, then slumped forward. Eyes glazing over, Daisuke crumpled to the floor. Frantically, With jumped from Daisuke's arm and nuzzled the unmoving figure. 

After a few heartbeats, Dark sat slowly up from where Daisuke had fallen. Carefully, he tested each limb to make sure nothing had been damaged. _Dai-kun?_ Dark felt strangely alone in this body, it seemed as if Daisuke wass completely gone. Troubled, Dark turned back to the beacon. Where it had stood unlit before, a stream of pure golden light poured from the beak of the little silver bird and bouncing from the reflection plate. 

Eyes narrowing, Dark studied the beacon again, something in the back of his memory nagging at him. The bird had somehow taken Daisuke, and was now lit-- 

Dark's eyes snapped wide open again as his memory came flooding back. Calling to With, Dark carefully pried the beacon from it's mooring. Without a second thought, he took two steps and lept from the side of the tall lighthouse tower, falling for a few seconds before With unfurled into a huge black wingspan. With the beacon still burning steadily, Dark flew straight toward the Niwa residence, knowing there was no time to waste. With every passing second, more of Daisuke's spirit was being burned away by the beacon. 

***


	12. Chapter Twelve

Daisuke awoke slowly, swimming though layers of gray unconsciousness before his eyes begrudgingly opened. Disoriented, he couldn't remember where he was, or why. He sighed softly, unwilling to move. He was warm and very comfortable, his cheek nestled in something soft and silky. 

_Like Hiwatari-kun's hair._ Daisuke's fingers curled into the softness. _Feathers?_

His eyes opened again, this time the lull of sleep was broken. Daisuke found himself cradled against the breast of a very large swanlike silvery gray bird, it's wings holding him against it so tightly he found he couldn't move. It's eyes were closed, and it's breathing deep and rhythmic. Around them sparkling golden flames licked upward, creating an unflickering beam of pure light. Instead of being swelteringly hot though, the flames created a comfortable warm breeze. _What is this place? What's going on? Dark?_ Panic began to well up inside him as Daisuke realized that he was alone. Frantic now, he began to struggle against the grip of the bird. 

The bird's glittering black eyes snapped open, and it's sharp beak opened in a startled cry. Wings pulled tighter around Daisuke, and he felt a strange ripple pass through the bird as if it were convulsing. Wings around his waist became arms, the silken feathery breast of the bird became a the soft breast of a girl clad in smooth silver silk. 

"Stop fighting me," She said against Daisuke's ear," You will only wear yourself out faster." 

Turning his head sharply to look up at her, he gasped. She was radiantly beautiful, skin pale and glowing in the light of the flames. She had wide gray eyes surrounded by long dusky lashes and a very soft looking rose mouth. Her hair fell in soft silver curls over her shoulders and down her arms, where she held him tightly against her. Daisuke's face flushed, being held against a bird was a much different thing than being cradled in the lap of a very beautiful and very soft girl. He wondered what Dark would have had to say about the situation. 

"Good," the girl smiled brightly and rested her cheek against the top of his head. "It's so much nicer when you don't fight me, Daisuke-kun." 

"How did you know my name? And Who are you? Where am I?" Daisuke twisted around to look at her, and this time she let him, arms loosening enough for him to turn sideways against her. 

She laughed merrily. "Which question to answer first? I know your name because I can read your heart. I am 'The Ever Burning Flame' but you can call me Eve. And you, my darling, are in the center of _my_ heart." 

"Oh," Daisuke's head swam. Her answers really hadn't helped him at all. 

***

Emiko took the beacon from Dark with slightly shaking hands. Carefully, she placed it in the center of the alterstone. Behind her, Daisuke's Grandfather, Daiki, lit the braziers and flickering light danced upward, illuminating the plain stone walls and ceiling far above them. Silently, Emiko slipped a ceremonial robe over her shoulders. Being born a Niwa had meant many things to Emiko. It had meant studying priceless and dangerous artifacts as a girl, and having a mysterious ceremonial shrine below her house. It was daring midnight escapades with the Phantom Thief and being intrusted with an exciting secret. Today, though, being a Niwa might mean that she lose the most exciting and priceless thing of all. 

A tear slipped down Emiko's face. Dark wordlessly wiped it away and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Emiko let herself be held, and pressed her face against his chest. "I will get him back, Mother," he whispered to her. 

Emiko raised her tearstreaked face. "I can't lose him," she said brokenly, "I can't." 

Over her head, Dark met Daiki's eyes from across the room. Daiki nodded slightly, then opened the heavy book that he was holding. Blowing dust from between the pages, he began to read aloud, his voice echoing back at him from the heavy stone walls. 

"The Ever Burning Flame Of Love was created in 1736 as a special gift for the wedding of Alonzo and Lucrezia D'Madea. The young couple was said to love one another with an unmatched purity, and The Ever Burning Flame was fed by their love, and as long as they were true to eachother, it would never go out. In the fall of 1742, Alonzo was called away overseas. The trip was supposed to last for only a month, but Alonzo failed to return. Fearing the worst, Lucrezia had the Ever Burning Flame fashioned into a beacon, so that Alonzo would see her love shining for him and return to her. Sadly, the months stretched onward, leaving Lucrezia to wait and watch alone from the lighthouse tower for her love to return. Then, nearly two years later, a sailor from her husband's ship returned with terrible news. The ship had been lost in a storm, and Alonzo had died. Lucrezia went alone to the top of the lighthouse where she was later found dead. The Ever Burning Flame was alleged to have burned away her spirit because she could no longer be with the man she loved. Over the next two hundred, over a dozen heartbroken young men and women were also found dead at the site of Lucrezia's death. Legend has it that The Ever Burning Flame burns away the spirits of those broken-hearted and forsaken by love." Daiki's voice faded away, and in the circle of Dark's arm, Emiko shivered. 

"But that can't be right," Emiko said after a moment, frowning. "Dai-kun wasn't broken-hearted, was he Dark-san? He cares for Risa-chan, but--" 

Dark shook his head. "It isn't Risa-chan," he said simply. Emiko's eyebrows raised in suprise, and she opened her mouth as if to speak, but Dark gave her shoulders a last squeeze and released her. Taking the book from Daiki, Dark quickly skimmed over the paragraph that had just been read. "This is all you could find?" he closed the book amidst another cloud of dust. 

Daiki nodded. 

"Well then," Dark turned to The Ever Burning Flame, "We will just have to wing it." 

***

"I have been lonely for so long, Daisuke," Eve snuggled closer to him and ruffled his hair affectionately. "It gets cold when the flame goes out for so many years." 

"Umm, but I thought you were an Ever Burning Flame," Daisuke shifted his weight away from her, trying to get breathing room between them. 

Eve smiled nostalgically. "I was once fed by unending love, but when that love was extinguished so was my flame. Now I can only help those who's hearts have been bruised to forget." 

"I don't want to forget anything," Daisuke Protested, "I want to remember it forever..." 

Eve laughed softly, "Dai-kun, you have been hurt and are very confused right now," she soothed sweetly, "you have great love and great pain in your heart. You will feel much better when you let everything burn away." 

"Burn away?" Daisuke pulled back from her sharply, "That's what's feeding the flame?" 

Eve smiled enigmatically. "In part. But nevermind that. Tell me about these people you love, Hiwatari-san and Riku-chan." 

Daisuke sighed and closed his eyes. "Riku-chan is very special to me, but do I really love her?" 

Eve laughed again, this time with a bounce and toss of her hair. "Of course you do, Dai-kun. I can see it in your heart. You love her for her gentleness and her determination. You always have, you just didn't know it till now." 

"I love Hiwatari-kun. I love him because he needs to be loved, and because he has been hurt so many times. I can't explain it any better, I just want to erase the sadness from his eyes," Daisuke felt a hot tear slide down his cheek and smiled sadly. "Can I love two people? Is it fair that I want to?" 

Eve's dancing silver eyes turned serious and sad. She leaned forward and kissed Daisuke softly on the cheek. "You have so much love to give, Dai-kun," she said sadly, then turned her face away. 

Eve's body rippled again, as if comming through a heat wave, and Daisuke felt her body change again. The limbs grew longer, her chest lost it's curves and her arms felt stronger where they wrapped around Daisuke. The silken flow of Eve's form fitting dress had become a smooth button up shirt and loose fitting silk pants. The flowing tumble of silver curls smoothed into a silver sweep of hair that fell over the unchanged face. 

"I'm sorry, Dai-kun." The young man flicked the gleaming hair away from his solemn gray eyes. His face was the same as Eve's, but his voice was a mellow baritone."It's hard for me to stay in that form when my mood changes." 

Daisuke, caught mesmerised by the sorrow in those deep silvery eyes, shook himself. Bowing his head, Daisuke looked away. "You aren't really a girl?" 

The boy smiled faintly. "No, I am not really anything. I am a bird because that is the way the artist crafted me. I am a girl when I'm happy, because my favourite memories are from a time when I knew a woman who was the most beautiful when she smiled. I am a man when I am sad because I can remember the sorrow in a man's eyes as he walked away." He tightened his arms around Daisuke again, pulling him back to rest against his smooth chest. "Memories are a burden, Daisuke-kun. Sometimes the easiest thing is to lay them down and forget them. Look at this light around us. This is the light of your spirit, and once you forget all of your pain and sorrow, you can be beautiful light forever." 

Lulled by the cadence of the youth's voice, Daisuke closed his eyes. Perhaps it would be easier to forget..._What about Hiwatari-kun and Riku-chan?_

"Is it wrong to love them both?" Daisuke murmured aloud, still listening to the beat of the boy's heart in his chest. 

"No," came the soft reply, "Some people are only capable of deep love toward one person, and they couldn't be happy any other way. But you, you have so much love inside of you that you would die if you didn't give it away. But the heart is fragile, and easily wounded. The more people that you truly love, the more you will hurt. Do you really want that?" 

Daisuke sighed deeply and didn't reply. The heartbeat beneath his ear was comforting, and he couldn't think of any reason to go back to a life of pain and heartache. A gentle hand caressed his face softly and wrapped around his shoulders, holding him warm and close. Daisuke felt himself drifting into sleep. 

***

The fires flared higher in the braizers as Emiko and Daiki drew a circle of energy closed around Dark. Emiko's face was determined as the light flickered over her features and down her ceremonial robe. Daiki's aged face held the same resolve, and Dark took a deep breath. He could not fail them and lose Daisuke. 

Dark drew a midnight black feather from his robe and held it between the fingers of his right hand. Holding it in front of his face, he closed his eyes and began to chant. To his own ears, the chant seemed distant and strange, the harsh German sounds were alien in his mouth. Energy poured through his body, making every extremity tingle like an electric current ran through him. Opening his eyes, he narrowed his focus down to a point. 

Barely breathing, Dark continued his chanting. His vision had irised down to the feather. Faintly at first, then with a sudden luminous brightness, the tar-black feather glowed purple. Holding himself rigid, even as his slender body trembled with the strain, Dark poured more energy through his body, pushing it out his fingertips and into the feather. The glow around the feather crackled and sparked like violent violet lightning, arcing to his fingertips and back to the backbone of the feather. It was difficult to look directly at it now, it's light eclipsing even the golden flame pouring out of The Ever Burning Flame. 

Dark faintly heard Emiko gasp and call his name as one of his knees buckled, nearly breaking his concentration. Grimly, he locked his joints and forced himself to stay upright as sweat poured down his face. Dark's vision blurred, then doubled. His fingers throbbed and he felt the last of his energy funnel through his arms and into the feather. 

Taking a deep breath, Dark opened his eyes. He held the feather straight out before him, end pointed at The Ever Burning Flame. "Goldene Flamme, die offen ist zu mir," he intoned, then flicked the feather into the burning beacon. 

The feather struck the golden flame, and for a heartbeat gilded sparks battled with violet flames. The golden light flickered out, and the feather poured all of Dark's stored power down into the open beak of the silver bird. As the last of the violet flame dissapeared into the bird, Dark swayed once, then collapsed unconscious to the floor of the chamber. 

"Dark!" Emiko ran to Dark's side. Her face was pale and pinched as she cradled Dark in her arms and looked up at Daiki. Unable to offer any comfort, Daiki said nothing. 

***


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Dark felt as if he were drowning in golden light. He was falling toward it's center, and at first it had been pleasantly warm, like a fire on a winter night, but now it was getting unbearably hot. Dark tucked his long arms and legs up to his chest, trying to make himself fall faster. He could almost hear the flyaway strands of his hair sizzle as the heat got more and more intense. His face felt tight and burned, and trying to stay calm he took a deep breath. The searingly hot air invaded his lungs and caused the tender tissue to react violently. Coughing and choking uncontrollably, Dark raised his hands to protect his face. 

Without warning, Dark fell through the worst of the flame and hit the blessedly cool base of the fire. Catlike, he landed in a crouch on his feet, with his knees bend up and one hand resting lightly on the ground before him to steady himself. Rising fluidly, he took in the situation quickly. Daisuke lay, eyes closed, in the arms of the most beautiful boy he had ever seen. Luminous and almost gleamingly pure, the boy's face was radiantly pale. His lips were soft and full, and his silver hair fell silkenly over his brow. His eyes, as they swept up to meet Dark's were large and surrounded by black lashes, swimming with sorrow and swirling like liquid murcury. 

"I'm sorry," the boy said, his voice filled with something like regret,"You are too late. Daisuke has given himself to me." 

Dark's eyes narrowed. Taking a hold of Daisuke's arms, he tried to pull the red haired boy out of the grasp of The Everburning Flame. Daisuke's lashes fluttered briefly, and the lightest of moans escaped his lips. He had nearly woken up. 

But he didn't look very good. The colour was gone from his usually rosy cheeks, and he he felt feather light in Dark's grasp. He was almost gone. 

"You can't take him. He wants me to burn away his memories so he can't be hurt anymore." Up close, Dark felt as if he were in danger of falling into the depths of those swirling silver eyes. 

"If it is memories you want, take one of mine. I have too many," Dark said, thinking fast. Quickly searching through his memories like scattered gold coins, he picked one of the brightest. It was heavy and bittersweet, filled with the laughing brown eyes and dark redish hair of the one woman he had truly loved. He hated to give it up, but his heart and mind were full of images of her. 

Dark laid his slender hand on the silver boy's forehead and _pushed_ as hard as he could. The boy's lips fell open as the memory hit him, and tears pooled up in his eyes. Overwhelmed by the sheer emotion of the memory, his grip on Daisuke fell slack. Pouncing, Dark snatched Daisuke away and willed himself upward and outward. 

"This is love," Dark heard the boy whisper, but as he looked downward he saw that it was no longer a boy. A radiant woman stood, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she felt for the first time love without sorrow or heartache. The memory had a tinge of sadness, but she finally realised that sorrow faded away, while the memory of love burned brightly. 

Emiko raised her head from her father's shoulder and gasped. Dark was stirring on the floor. He was struggling to his feet, and he looked utterly exhausted. About to run to him, Emiko checked herself. Dark was holding his arms in a strange cradling position, and there was something faint held in his arms. Looking closer at the pale, translucent thing Dark held, Emiko gasped in horror. It was Daisuke. 

Dark gritted his teeth and fought for every step as he moved toward the altar in the center of the circle. Gently, he laid Daisuke down, making sure he was within the circle of protective runes. Daisuke was lighter than air, and flickered translucently. He was like a ghost. 

Emiko rushed forward in a wave, but Dark stopped her with an upraised hand. "Stop! Dai-kun's soul was almost completely burned away in the Flame." 

"Dai-kun's soul?" Emiko mouthed the words. She looked like she had aged ten years since this morning. "Can we save him?" 

Dark nodded. "Yes," he said shortly. Dark turned away from Emiko and focused his attention on Daisuke. Though he wouldn't tell Emiko, Dark was afraid. He knew that Daisuke had been very close to death, and he wasn't sure that he knew how to bring him back. 

The Everburning Flame had burned away all of Daisuke's memory, and without memory a soul had no anchor. Dark knew that when an infant was born, the soul was incomplete and full of holes. As a person aged, memory knitted together those holes and helped form a complete soul. Without it, a soul was little more than a wisp of personality with no context or background to hold it in place. Dasike's soul wanted to float away. 

Dark wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He had to find a way to give Daisuke his memories back. Glancing over his shoulder at the pinched faces of Emiko and Daiki, Dark knew he could not fail. As he looked away from Daiki, a memory of the old man as a young boy rose up unbidden in Dark's mind. He had been very like Daisuke back then... 

Dark's eyes widened with sudden inspiration. He had enough memories for a dozen lifetimes, all he had to do was give some of them to Daisuke like he had The Everburning Flame. For a brief moment, Dark's heart balked. Could he really bear to give up his memories? People he had cared for, lives he had touched, all of it weighed heavily in his chest. 

Biting his lip, and before he could change his mind, Dark lay his hands over Daisuke's chest. Reaching into his cache of memories, Dark began grabbing mental handfuls of the coin bright memories, forcibly pushing them down his arms and into Daisuke's chest. Memory was a mutable thing, and once they were absorbed by Daisuke's soul, the fibres of the memories changed to replace those Daisuke had lost. Holes in Daisuke's soul were being quickly knit together, and the ghostlike body began to solidify. 

Ignoring everything else, Dark continued to sift through his memories. It had been hard at first, but now he only held on to the most precious. His heart began to feel lighter, and to his amazement, Dark began to feel the weight of centuries slipping from his shoulders. As Daisuke grew denser and heavier with the weight of memory, Dark's soul lightened into something managable and unweighted by sorrow. 

Finally, arms shaking with fatigue, Dark let his hands drop from Daisuke's chest. The boy was solid now, but he still didn't wake. Dark's knees finally gave way, and he fell heavily to the floor. "It wasn't enough," he whispered to himself. A tear slid down his cheek and fell onto his hand. He had failed. 

Emiko moved forward to Daisuke's side. She wasn't crying now, but her face was very pale and drawn. Taking Daisuke's hand, she brought it to her lips. "I won't let him go. We can save him. I know we can." Emiko leaned forward and lay her cheek against Daisuke's chest. A soft glow of light caught Dark's eye, and as he watched, a faint yellow light passed between mother and son. 

Dark closed his eyes as realization hit him. _Of course!_ he chided himself, _How could I have been so stupid?_ As Emiko had held Daisuke, the love Daisuke had given his mother poured back into him. Daisuke needed his lost emotion to fill his soul, and love was the one thing that could be freely given without causing harm to the donor. 

"Emiko, please, I need you to go get Harada Risa-chan," Dark said, struggling to rise, "I will go and get Hiwatari-kun." Dark turned, rallying his last reserves of energy. Summoning With to him, Dark took the stairs two at a time. "Hurry!" 

Hiwatari sat on the edge of his bed, knees drawn upward to his chest. His glasses he didn't need lay discarded on the bedside table, and his face was slicked with tears. He was calm now, as he sat with his arms wrapped around his knees, staring blankly out the window without really seeing anything. The usual cold maskline expression had descended over his features once again. 

_Now if only I could convince myself that I am fine._ Hiwatari sighed softly and closed his eyes. The hairline cracks in his heart had been easier to ignore yesterday, before he had known what things could have been like... 

The lightest of footfalls broke Hiwatari out of his thoughts. Snapping his head upward, his eyes focused sharply on the intruder in his home. Dark stood in the doorway, looking decidedly worse for the wear. His face was pale and drawn, and even his hair hung limply over his eyes as he gripped the doorframe to hold himself up. Hiwatari's first instinct was to slap handcuffs on Dark and capture him, to use him to finally be rid of Krad. However, Dark would not have come here unless something was wrong. 

Getting warily to his feet, Hiwatari felt the pressure inside of him that was Krad reacting to the nearness of Dark. "Why are you here?" He asked without preamble. 

Dark raised his head and looked wearily at him. "Daisuke needs you," he said simply. 

Hiwatari's heart lurched. The look on Dark's face told him everything he needed to know. Savagely, he clamped down on Krad's growing attempts to break free. Taking a steadying breath, Hiwatari nodded. "Take me to him." 

Riku sat in the passenger seat of Emiko's car and held onto the dashboard for dear life. Emiko was driving like a maniac, swerving in and out of traffic and narrowly missing oncomming cars and bicyclists. Riku kept her lips clamped tightly together and didn't make a sound. Emiko had come to her door and practically dragged her into the waiting car, saying something about Daisuke needing her. 

Emiko looked terrible. It was obvious that she had been crying and her hands were shaking as she gripped the steering wheel. She kept her eyes trained to the road as she maneuvered dangerously between cars. Her lips moved, and Riku thought she could hear her saying Daisuke's name. 

Riku was scared. Her heart felt numb, she knew from Emiko's bizzare behaviour that Daisuke must be in serious danger. _Please, please don't let him die!_, she squeezed her eyes shut tight, _I haven't told him that I love him yet._

Riku had always loved him, though it had taken years to realize it. She had Risa to thank in part for that, if she hadn't felt such intense jealousy over Daisuke's infatuation with her twin, she might have gone on forever oblivious to her real feelings. 

The car breaked suddenly, and Riku couldn't hold back her yelp of suprise as she braced her arms on the dash. Emiko lept from the car, barely pausing to remove the key from the ignition, and ran around to Riku's side of the car. Riku fumbled briefly with the latch on the safety belt, and had just pulled it free when Emiko yanked the passenger side door open. Without a word, Emiko grabbed Riku's hand and began running with her toward the house without stopping to close the car door. Confused, she had been expecting a hospital not the Niwa home, Riku started to say something in protest, but Emiko's frantic frightened behaviour made her bite her tongue. 

Emiko dragged her through the house and down the steps into the basement. Pulling open the door to what looked like a broom closet, Riku was amazed to see an ancient looking set of stone steps leading down into darkness. As they raced through the door and down the steps, frigid air swirled up from the depths below the stairs, making Riku shiver. Her heart was pounding and she was gripped with fear. _What sort of family has something like _this_ under their house?_

Flickers of flame peered up through the darkness as they neared the bottom, and Riku could make out a figure standing next to what appeared to be a low table. Riku recognised the shadowy figure as Daisuke's grandfather as they drew closer. Turning as they approached, Riku registered the worry in his eyes before her gaze dropped to what lay on the table like stone before him. 

"Daisuke!" the name was ripped from her lips in a gasp. Pale and somehow diminished looking, Daisuke looked like he was already dead. Breaking free of Emiko's grasp, Riku ran to him, falling on her knees beside him. She sucked in a huge gulp of frigid air as tears began to stream down her face. Without thinking, she took one of his icy hands between hers and tried to warm it with her breath. Brushing her lips across his unresponsive fingertips, her body shook as she was racked with silent sobs. She lay her head on his chest, brown red locks tangling with the buttons on his shirt, to try to hear his heartbeat. It was very faint. 

Behind Riku, Emiko sighed slowly. Unbeknownst to Riku, a fine misty glow had surrounded her and Daisuke where she knelt beside him. As the girl held him, Daisuke's cheeks began to regain a little colour and his breathing deepened slightly. A noise from above attracted Emiko's attention upward, and she watched as Dark glided downward out of the gloom above. He carried a slender blue-haired boy in his arms. As Dark dropped lightly to the stone floor, Emiko recongised him as Hiwatari Satoshi, the boy who was the last of the Hikaris. Something deep in Emiko's stomach reacted violently to the thought of a Hikari within the Niwa stronghold, but she held back her protests. Daisuke's life was hanging in the balance, and she wasn't willing to let ancient family hostility get in the way, no matter how much it pained her. 

Hiwatari lept from Dark's arms, not sparing his bearer a backward glance as Dark fell heavily to his knees in exhaustion. His eyes were riveted on Daisuke. Paying no attention to Riku, Hiwatri's lips shaped a prayer, though he was not religious. Also dropping to his knees beside Daisuke, Hiwatari cradled the boy's icy face between his hands. _Oh Daisuke,_ he thought, tears welling in his eyes,_What happened? You were fine..._ But Hiwatari knew that Daisuke had not been fine. He had been heartbroken, by _him_, and he had just left him there... 

Hiwatari was shaking. His tremors raced through his body and blurred his vision. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips softly against Daisuke's forehead. Riku was looking at him, her face smeared with tears. Her grip on Daisuke's hand looked painful. He ignored her. A terrible searing pain rose up inside of him as Krad began his struggles again, this time using every vicious and painful trick he knew. Hiwatari closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. The pain washed over him in waves, pummeling him. It felt like Krad was trying to rip out his guts in order to get out. 

"_No!_" he felt a snarling, anguished tear at his throat. _It hurts, it hurts..._

_You deserve it, you insufferable brat!_ Krad snarled back at him, sounding like a caged animal, _My whole existance, I have tried to get in here, and now you thwart me. I will destroy the Niwas once and for all. Let me out!_

Hiwatari's grip on Krad was slipping, he knew he couldn't hold the psychotic angel back forever. Opening his eyes, Hiwatari focused on Daisuk's face. Barely clinging to consciousness through the unending red blur of pain, Hiwatari pushed his lips against Daisuke's in desperation. 

Emiko and Daiki gasped together as the blue haired boy lowered his mouth against Daisuke's. Emiko's chin dropped as her brain tried to absorb the implications. Without thinking, she started forward toward them, but was nearly blown off of her feet by the explosion of light and emotion that poured out between the two. Nearly blinded, Emiko threw up her hand to shield her face. When she could see again, she gasped, again, this time in wonder. The entire underground chamber was filled with a golden light, thick and warm as honey. It eminated from the join of Daisuke and Hiwatari's lips. 

"What is this?" she whispered. 

"It is pure love between ancient enemies, the Niwa and Hikari. I thought the two families would destroy eachother before this came about," Daiki replied, looking just as awestruck as Emiko felt. 

Daisuke opened his eyes slowly. He felt warm and safe, and the mouth against his tasted deliciously familiar. Instinctively, he parted his lips and returned the kiss, wrapping an arm around the boy who had been his lover. The kiss deepened momentarily, then broke. Daisuke sighed in dissapointment. 

Pain broke the spell of bliss, he felt as if his hand was trapped in a vise. Frowning, he blinked, and the underground chamber came sharply into focus. The first face he saw was Hiwatari's, pale and pinched, still wet with tears. Caressingly, Daisuke wiped the tears away with his palm. Hiwatari leaned into the touch and closed his eyes. 

"Are you okay?" Daisuke whispered, his voice sounding strangely far away. 

Hiwatari nodded, "He can't hurt me anymore," he whispered, smiling. 

Daisuke nodded, then looked down toward the preasure on his hand. Riku held it still, tightly in hers. Daisuke struggled to sit up. 

"Riku," he reached out to touch her with his free hand. To his amazement, she dropped his hand and surged forward, pressing _her_ lips against his. 

"I love you, Dai-kun," she said holding him against her, "I wanted to tell you before anything else could stop me." 

Shocked, Daisuke reached up and ran a hand through her soft hair. This close, she smelled wonderful, like shampoo and something indescribably feminine. As he held Riku, Hiwatari gave him a strange sad smile and backed away from him. 

Setting Riku away from him, Daisuke kissed her softly on the cheek. He swung his legs off of the altar and nearly fell as he tried to put his weight on them. Finding his balance, Daisuke went after Hiwatari, his confusion and sadnes easy to read in his wide amber eyes. 

Hiwatari shook his head. "Go to her, Dai-kun," he whispered, voice sad and subdued, "I--I have so much to deal with, and..." He paused, taking a breath. "I love you, Dai-kun, and I always will. But I have to deal with Krad, and that will take time. There is someone here and now who needs you," he glanced toward Riku, who sat rigid on the altar stone, hands twisted together. Hiwatari felt his heart breaking. 

Tears flooded Daisuke's eyes. "But I lo--" he was cut off as Hiwatari lay a finger across his lips. He kissed Daisuke again, feathery soft, for the last time. "Don't say it," he whispered, wiping Daisuke's tears away, "because it isn't fair." 

Taking Daisuke by the shoulders, he turned him around and pushed him gently toward Riku. After a momen't hesitation, Daisuke went. As he neared her, Riku stood and threw her arms around Daisuke. Daisuke returned the embrace, snuggling his nose into her hair. He didn't know what to tell her yet, so chose to say nothing. He did love her, he always had, but it didn't seem right to say it now. 

After a moment, Emiko joined the embrace, throwing her arms around both of them. She was confused about exactly what went on between Hiwatari and Daisuke, but was so relieved to have her son back that she refrained from asking any awkward questions. 

_Dark?_Daisuke thought quiringly. He thought he had felt Dark rejoining him somewhere in that warm golden glow, but he wasn't sure. 

_I'm here,_ came the smug reply, _Can't get rid of me that easy_. 

Daisuke smiled. Thank you for comming after me. 

_Well I wasn't just going to leave you,_ Dark said indignantly_Even if it did nearly kill me. If you need me, I'll be sleeping._

Hiwatari turned away with a soft smile. Daisuke would be all right, and he knew Riku would take care of him while he couldn't. Catching a knowing look from Daisuke's grandfather, Hiwatari began the long climb up the stairs. Things had changed today, between himself and Krad. The tables had turned and now Hiwatari knew he would be able to control the monster within him. And even though he had to give up Daisuke, Hiwatari felt confident that things would be better now. Besides, he had never said that it would be goodbye forever. 

END


End file.
